GOLD Coast and Greater Western Sydney will again be prominent players at this year's NAB AFL Draft, with the expansion clubs sharing 11 of the first 34 picks under the current ladder positions.

But their abundance of selections might also prove a win for other clubs looking to push up the draft board as rivals plan to again use the academy points system to strengthen their draft hand.

The Suns' disastrous run with injury has seen them drop to fourth last on the ladder this season, but if positions stay as they are they will hold six of the first 28 picks at November's draft due to their canny trading last year.

The club was able to secure Melbourne's first-round pick for 2016 in a swap that netted the Demons pick three last year (which they acquired to pick Clayton Oliver), and also grabbed future second-round picks from Fremantle, Port Adelaide and Richmond in deals involving Charlie Dixon and Harley Bennell.

The Giants are third on the ladder and one of the premiership favourites, but will head into the off-season in a powerful position with five picks in the first 34 spots after acquiring extra picks last season when trading Adam Treloar, Curtly Hampton and a quartet of players to Carlton.

The draft windfall for both clubs are likely to again make them key players in the trade period, with rivals eyeing off the picks as a way to shift up the order.

The introduction of points-based father-son and academy bidding system last year saw clubs bundle up later selections and trading them for earlier picks from academy clubs who want more points to pay for highly rated academy prospects.

Geelong, for instance, is one club that may look to use later picks to move up the order with its first pick not likely to come until the mid-30s based on present predictions.

Melbourne, too, is without a first-round pick this season but has shown a knack for craftily trading up the draft in recent seasons in deals with Greater Western Sydney. 



The Suns will have first access to gun academy midfielder Jack Bowes at this year's draft, with the Cairns product likely to attract a bid in the first handful of selections. Brad Scheer is also a possible top-30 academy pick from the Suns academy.

Will Setterfield and Harry Perryman lead the group of academy players in Greater Western Sydney's grasp, alongside key defender Harrison Macreadie, ruckman Max Lynch and midfielder Kobe Mutch. 



Setterfield and Perryman may cost the Giants top-10 picks while Macreadie has been relocated by the club to Sydney from country New South Wales but has struggled for form this season.

Essendon's meeting with the Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium in round 18 appears likely to decide the wooden spoon this season, but the Lions will hold a strong draft position regardless with three picks inside the first 25 in the indicative order after 15 rounds.

2016 NAB AFL DRAFT INDICATIVE ORDER

ROUND ONE
1 Essendon
2 Brisbane Lions
3 Fremantle
4 Gold Coast
5 Carlton
6 St Kilda
7 Richmond
8 Greater Western Sydney
9 Gold Coast (received Melbourne's first-round pick)
10 Port Adelaide
11 West Coast
12 North Melbourne
13 Western Bulldogs
14 Adelade
15 Sydney Swans
16 Greater Western Sydney
17 Greater Western Sydney (received Geelong's first-round pick, via Carlton)
18 Hawthorn 

ROUND TWO
19 Essendon
20 Brisbane Lions
21 Gold Coast (received Fremantle's second-round pick)
22 Gold Coast
23 Carlton
24 Brisbane Lions (received St Kilda's second-round pick, via Collingwood)
25 Gold Coast (received Richmond's second-round pick)
26 Collingwood
27 Melbourne
28 Gold Coast (received Port Adelaide's second-round pick)
29 West Coast
30 North Melbourne
31 Western Bulldogs
32 Greater Western Sydney
33 Sydney Swans
34 Greater Western Sydney
35 Geelong
36 Hawthorn 

ROUND THREE
37 Essendon
38 Geelong (received the Brisbane Lions' third-round pick)
39 Fremantle
40 Gold Coast
41 Carlton
42 St Kilda
43 Richmond
44 Collingwood
45 Melbourne
46 Port Adelaide
47 West Coast
48 Brisbane Lions (received North Melbourne's third-round pick)
49 Carlton (received the Western Bulldogs' third-round pick)
50 Adelaide Crows
51 Sydney Swans
52 Greater Western Sydney
53 Geelong
54 Hawthorn 

ROUND FOUR
55 Essendon
56 Brisbane Lions
57 Fremantle
58 Gold Coast
59 Western Bulldogs (received Carlton's fourth-round pick)
60 St Kilda
61 Richmond
62 Collingwood
63 Melbourne
64 Port Adelaide
65 West Coast
66 North Melbourne
67 Western Bulldogs
68 Adelaide Crows
69 Western Bulldogs (received the Sydney Swans' fourth-round pick)
70 Greater Western Sydney
71 Geelong
72 Hawthorn 

ROUND FIVE
73 Essendon
74 Brisbane Lions
75 Fremantle
76 Gold Coast
77 Carlton
78 St Kilda
79 Richmond
80 Collingwood
81 Melbourne
82 Port Adelaide
83 West Coast
84 North Melbourne
85 Western Bulldogs
86 Adelaide Crows
87 Sydney Swans
88 Geelong (received Greater Western Sydney's fifth-round pick)
89 Geelong
90 Hawthorn