The 2025 AFL Telstra Draft has wrapped up on Friday afternoon with the AFL Rookie Draft and a total of six new players have arrived at the Swans.

We welcomed four players as part of the National Draft on Wednesday and Thursday nights: QBE Sydney Swans Academy duo Harry Kyle and Max King alongside Jevan Phillipou and Billy Cootee from the SANFL.

The club's 2026 list was then finalised on Friday by selecting QBE Sydney Swans Academy Athlete Noah Chamberlain and key forward Liam Hetherton as Category B rookies.

Sydney also re-drafted stalwarts Dane Rampe and Jake Lloyd through the rookie draft, which will see both continue their distinguished playing careers in the red and white. The club had previously committed to re-drafting the pair after delisting them last month, to ensure the Sydney Swans operated within the league’s rules to maximise picks in the National Draft.

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A special surprise for Max King

Assistant coach Ben Mathews traveled all the way from Sydney to surprise new draftee, Max King, in Newcastle.

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"It's super surreal, I never thought I'd be in this position." - Kyle

Sydney Swans 2025 Telstra AFL Draft pick #14 and QBE Sydney Swans Academy player Harry Kyle tours Sellers and Colless Centre and shares the incredible feeling of getting drafted after only 1 year in the academy.

 

2025 Telstra AFL Draft Sydney Swans selections:

Harry Kyle- Round 1, Pick 14
Kyle, an athletic defender/midfielder standing at 188cm, grew up playing rugby and basketball before landing at the QBE Sydney Swans Academy in the middle of last season. The 18-year-old made his VFL debut for Sydney in Round 18 of the 2025 season. He represented the Allies in all four games in the National Championships. Kyle’s athletic attributes were on show at the National Draft Combine, posting three top 10 results. He ranked number one in the running vertical jump, 8th for the standing vertical jump and 10th for the agility test.

Jevan Phillipou- Round 2, Pick 35
Phillipou, a powerful midfielder-forward from Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL, was taken by the Swans with pick 35 overall. The captain of the Eagles’ Under 18 side, he averaged 28 disposals and two goals in the U18 SANFL competition in the second half of the year as well as featuring in six senior matches.

Billy Cootee - Round 3, Pick 42
Cootee was drafted with pick 42 as a mature age selection from Norwood in South Australia. The 22-year-old midfielder/forward played 21 senior matches for the Redlegs in 2025, winning their best and fairest. He formerly captained Essendon’s VFL side.

Max King - Round 3, Pick 49
King, who grew up a Sydney Swans supporter and hails from Newcastle, is an athletic forward from the QBE Sydney Swans Academy and a recipient of the Basil Sellers Scholarship. Standing at 191cm, he played three games at VFL level for the Swans this season and kicked 30 goals for his local side, Cardiff. King landed at the Swans after the club matched Adelaide’s bid at pick 49.

Category B Rookies

Noah Chamberlain is a 191cm utility and two-time Basil Sellers Scholarship recipient who played in a variety of positions over the course of the year, highlighting his versatility. The athletic 18-year-old was selected in the 2025 AFL National Academy and was a consistent performer for the Allies in the U18 Championships.

Liam Hetherton, who hails from Glenroy in country NSW, is a developing tall who also represented the AFL National Academy this year. The 18-year-old possesses strong athleticism and kicked 11 goals in three Coates Talent League games. Hetherton joins the club as a NSW zone selection. 

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“If I could be half the player as him I’d have a very successful career.” - King

Sydney Swans 2025 Telstra AFL Draft pick and QBE Sydney Swans Academy player Max King tours Sellers and Colless Centre and shares what he’s most excited for joining the team and what members and fans can expect from his game.

 

Sydney Swans Head of List Strategy, Chris Keane said he was thrilled with the Swans draft haul.

“We’re delighted with the players we have added to our list and are confident the boys we have brought into the club have the attributes to be excellent Sydney Swans footballers,” Keane said.

"We feel Harry has huge potential and traits to develop into a very good AFL player. Whilst he will likely start his career as a running defender, we feel he could develop into a midfielder in time.

“Jevan is driven with a high work rate and a great desire to improve. He has had consistent impact as a midfielder, can impact in the air and hit the scoreboard regularly, making him a well-rounded and versatile player. We think he has plenty of upside, so we're really excited to have him on board.

“I’m so pleased for Billy that he has made his way onto an AFL list, and we are thrilled it’s with us at the Swans. He has a high work ethic and a great understanding of the game and believe he could take his game to a new level and be a quality AFL player.

“Max possesses a rare set of athletic traits, and his versatility is a real asset, with the ability to play as a tall, on the wing or in the midfield. He has great top-end speed and an impressive vertical leap, making him a dynamic threat up forward, so we are really excited by his potential.”

“We are also thrilled to have added both Noah and Liam to our playing list as Cat B rookies,” Keane said.

“We have been closely tracking Noah in our QBE Sydney Swans Academy for a number of years, and it’s fantastic to see him get an opportunity after all his hard work.

“We believe Liam has all the attributes to become a very good AFL player. He missed the majority of the season though injury but showed enough promise through the early parts of the year. We are excited to add a developing tall to round out our list.”