New Devil dodges draft: Tasmania’s homegrown hope commits to Apple Isle club

The Tasmania Devils have unveiled their first batch of players ahead of their AFL entry in 2028, including a homegrown prospect who they convinced to withdraw from this year’s draft.

With their first AFL game only about a year-and-a-half away, the Devils have signed a key group of underage players – teenagers who will forever be remembered as the initial signings of the AFL’s 19th club.

Little more than two months after Ken Hinkley was confirmed as the first coach of the league’s newest expansion club, the Devils have announced the signatures of top young prospects Axel Walsh, Jake Miller, Angus Brown, Riley Stratford, Baxter Sruk, Griffin Barker and Nate Jenkins.

But they’ve also secured the prized signature of local hope Hugh McCallum, an 18-year-old emerging star from Clarence who was being eyed off by other AFL clubs.

Locking in Tasmanian product McCallum will be especially pleasing to the Devils’ football hierarchy, led by Hinkley and the club’s head of development Nigel Lappin, who have convinced the 18-year-old to bypass this year’s draft and target round one, 2028, to launch his AFL career.

The athletic wingman is the brother of former Port Adelaide draftee Tom McCallum and the son of Scott McCallum, a member of the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame.

His 2026 season has been impacted by a knee injury, but the 181-centimetre McCallum was in the sights of other AFL clubs and considered a potential top-30 selection at November’s draft.

In May veteran draft watcher Kevin Sheehan listed McCallum in his early prospects to be a top-15 selection.

Under list concessions approved by the AFL Commission for Tasmania’s list build in their early years, the Devils were permitted to pre-list up to 12 players over the next two seasons. Seven of the players unveiled at a gala event in Hobart on Tuesday night are pre-listed under-17 players.

Two of that group are outstanding prospects: Walsh, a ruckman from Western Australia, and Miller, a dynamic 197cm key forward from the Western Jets. Miller was a “bottom-ager” at this year’s under-18 national championships, but played three matches and kicked a championships-high four goals against South Australia.

The concessions for Tasmania include flexible list sizes (up to 48 players on their list for years two, three and four), a signing-on bonus pool outside of the salary cap, priority access to 17-year-olds, a Tasmanian Academy “consistent with the Northern Academy model”, and the right to pre-list Tasmanian pathway players – a provision that applies to McCallum.

Hinkley was delighted to welcome the club’s first official players, who will head to the Apple Isle in November.

“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.”

As the AFL continues to prepare for their first expansion club since the Giants joined the competition in 2012, Tasmania’s list build will attract intense scrutiny next year.

Compared to the Suns, who entered the competition off the back of a host of experienced AFL players in 2011, the Giants were stacked with young talent in the club’s early seasons.

The Giants’ foundation 17-year-old pre-signings included Jeremy Cameron, Dylan Shiel, Adam Treloar and Tomas Bugg.

THE FIRST TASMANIA DEVILS:

Hugh McCallum (Tasmania)
Date of birth: 10-8-2008
Club: Clarence
Position: Wing

Axel Walsh (Western Australia)
DOB: 20-1-2009
Club: East Perth
Position: Ruckman

Jake Miller (Victoria)
DOB: 7-5-2009
Club: Western Jets
Position: Tall forward

Angus Brown (Victoria)
DOB: 27-5-2009
Club: Sandringham Dragons
Position: Small forward / wingman

Riley Stratford (Victoria)
DOB: 5-4-2009
Club: Sandringham Dragons / Vic Metro
Position: Midfield

Baxter Sruk (Victoria)
DOB: 18-7-2009
Club: Eastern Ranges
Position: Midfield

Griffin Barker (Victoria)
DOB: 13-8-2009
Club: Western Jets
Position: Midfield

Nate Jenkins
DOB: 18-8-2009
Club: Calder Cannons
Position: Key forward