Expect things to get wild on Wednesday night. That is the safest assumption for one of the most unpredictable AFL drafts in years.

Others have predicted what might happen in each year’s draft for longer than me, but I have done it for long enough to appreciate the 2025 edition is a doozy.

Carlton will need to match an early bid on father-son defender Harry Dean to draft him.Credit: AFL Photos

My first two draft rankings this year, in August and October, were a talent order based on my discussions with scouts and my own thoughts, whereas my most-recent one attempted to link to clubs based on educated industry scuttlebutt.

My phone always gets a serious workout, and I sweated and agonised before releasing the previous mock draft two Fridays ago, with one more still to come.

There are copious reasons for why a phantom draft this year is fraught with danger.

That owes to having to forecast where the large volume of academy and father-son bids might come – there could be four in the first six or seven picks, which will alter later selections for clubs – bolters, pending pick swaps, and how incredibly even this class is after the first 10.

Recruiters have been at pains to try to change the narrative from it being an........

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