The first players in Devils history have been revealed, with eight young footballers welcomed at a draft-style event in Hobart.

Under list concessions granted by the AFL, the Devils were allowed to pre-list up to 12 potential draft picks over the next two seasons.

The first group was chosen after careful consideration from the club’s list management, recruiting, and coaching team.   

Included in this list of pre-listed U17 players are Western Australian Axel Walsh, Victorians Jake Miller, Angus Brown, Riley Stratford, Baxter Sruk, Griffin Barker, and Nate Jenkins.   

Each player has been assessed at National Championships, school, and local matches, and have been benchmarked against their age group, with this group standing out as the club’s first selections.   

Also announced at the event was the signing of Tasmanian draft prospect Hugh McCallum, who injured his knee during the 2026 season, and will bypass the 2026 AFL Draft and join the Devils program in 2027.  

Devils Head Coach Ken Hinkley spoke glowingly of the talent joining his first AFL squad and will work closely alongside the Club’s Head of Development Nigel Lappin, and Head of Academy Matthew Knights to prepare the group for 2028.   

“Tonight is a very special evening, and it’s a proud moment to welcome our first group of Tasmania Devils players to our state,” said Hinkley.   

“I am excited to be working with such a talented group of young footballers, all of who have tremendous skill sets and AFL attributes already. 

“It will be great to share this moment with their families.

"The build of our list is a significant focus for the club and tonight is another great step forward as we move toward 2028.”  

All pre-listed players will move to the state later in November and begin their preparation for their AFL debut in 2028 with individualised training programs and plans in 2027.