Sam Gayfer

Sam Gayfer is an athletic forward from the Northern Knights who represented Vic Metro during the 2026 National Championships. The nephew of Collingwood premiership defender Mick Gayfer, he has carved out his own football story as a dangerous attacking target. He caught the attention of scouts with strong performances for Vic Metro, including a standout four-goal haul against South Australia where his work rate in the front half shone. Gayfer then made history at the draft combine by breaking the all-time running vertical jump record with a 114cm leap, clearing the previous mark by seven centimetres. He also topped the combine in the standing vertical jump.

On the field, Gayfer uses his elite leaping ability to be a constant aerial threat and has a knack for taking spectacular marks. Scouts praise his intelligent leading patterns, his ability to create separation from opponents, and his follow-up work at ground level. Showing he can impact the scoreboard in a variety of ways, he has steadily risen up draft boards throughout the year. On the back of his athletic testing and productive carnival form, Gayfer is widely viewed as a potential first-round selection in the national draft.