Tasmania Devils confirm first-ever AFL signings with elite eight

Tasmania Devils have made history by signing their first-ever AFL players, with eight elite 17-year-old footballers joining the club a year ahead of their official draft year.

Axel Walsh, a 202-centimetre tall West Australian, is one of the new recruits and says he's excited about playing with the Devils. "I think a lot of people would go Luke Jackson," he said, when asked what his closest AFL player comparison would be. "I have a lot of respect for his game." But someone he's always looked up to is Max Gawn. "You see the success he's had, and I've looked up to him as a leader off the field as well," Walsh said.

Family ties influence decision

Walsh has family connections in Tasmania, which made it an easy choice to accept the Devils' offer. With an aunty, uncle and three cousins residing in the Hobart suburb of Glenorchy, Walsh already considered himself "somewhat Tasmanian" before signing on. "I knew if the opportunity presented itself, it was going to be an easy option to say yes," he said.

Walsh was the first player unveiled at a draft-style event in Hobart, where he and seven other young guns were introduced as the Devils' first-ever AFL-listed players. He said he got "goosebumps" watching a club-produced hype video that chronicled Tasmania's football history, previous failed bids for an AFL team, and the importance of the state's famous "map" insignia. "It's very important. The people of the island have wanted that for a long time so to have the opportunity to wear that on the jumper, it's very special and something I'm looking forward to," he said. "It was a bit of goosebumps watching it; 1866 was where it all started, here we are in 2026, so it's feeling real now with the first eight being signed."

Customized development plans

Devils' list boss, Todd Patterson, says each player's experience within the team will be customized to them. "We need to understand that each of them is on a different journey," Patterson said. "Some of them might only have one kick in the VFL. That's OK. We just need to be patient with their development timelines." For some of them, it'll be really customized.

The eight players will split their time between the Devils' VFL, the Tasmanian under 18s, the gym, studying and visiting their home states next year. Each player has signed a four-year contract with the club and will make about $150,000 next year.

Players' backgrounds and ambitions

Hugh McCallum is the only Tasmanian from the pool of eight selected for the Devils. Victorian Jake Miller is already a quasi-Tasmanian, boasting an impressive golf swing and having a mother who works for Cadbury. Fellow Victorian midfielder Griffin Barker's highlight reel showcases a player who has perfected the "don't argue" — his favourite players are Harley Reid and Dustin Martin.

Angus Brown, a gun small forward from Victoria, had to work his way up to secure a spot with the Devils. "I wasn't in the initial interest letter back in the start of the year, I had to work my way up and find a patch of form," he said. "I found out in May there was a letter of interest and then I pursued an interview with [recruiter] Derek Hine." Brown emphasized the importance of finishing year 12 and pursuing higher education alongside his AFL career. "The club has been open and flexible about my studying and pursuits academically, so that's probably my biggest thing," he said.

"It'll be a dream come true" to make his AFL debut, Brown said. "But the real work starts now."