The high-flying nephew of a premiership Magpie has smashed a long-standing AFL combine record to bolster his top-10 draft chances – and he might be wearing black and white next year.
Sam Gayfer, whose uncle Mick played 142 games for Collingwood, including in the Pies’ drought-busting 1990 flag, had already established himself as this year’s top key forward prospect before obliterating Giant Leek Aleer’s running vertical jump mark.
St Kilda and Collingwood, who hold the eighth and ninth picks, respectively, in this year’s draft, are among the clubs interested in Gayfer, according to recruiting sources who spoke to this masthead.
Gayfer’s record-setting jump was 114 centimetres, which beat Aleer’s 2021 record by 7cm – and was so outrageously impressive that disbelieving testing staff asked him to do it again.
Nic Naitanui, one of the springiest athletes ever to play in the AFL, once held this record at 102cm. For further context, Gayfer’s jump would have ranked second at this year’s NBA draft combine, which features some of the best athletes in the world.
Gayfer, who ranked No.11 in this masthead’s latest draft rankings, had targeted Aleer’s record after jumping 103cm in pre-season testing.
Anyone who kept tabs on the 18-year-old this past season would have known about his spring-heeled ways after he hauled in an enormous mark playing for the Northern Knights against Gold Coast in the under-18 Talent League in May.
“It was one of the most impressive things I’ve seen at this level,” Knights talent lead Natalie Grindal told The Age of Gayfer’s mark.
“It was the most insane thing to see live, then you look at his vertical leap [at the combine], and he’s probably flying at similar heights, so it was not a fluke … he’s a super athlete.”
Gayfer was a promising high jumper at Kew Little Athletics Club in his younger years, following in his mother Catherine’s footsteps, so leaping high is nothing new. The footballer he relegated to second place in the running vertical jump, Mason McGroder, is one of the best junior long jumpers on the planet.
“Mum was a high jumper down at Doncaster. She’s still got a couple of records,” Gayfer told this masthead. “I think Dad [David] would try and claim my athleticism comes from him, but I reckon a fair bit comes from Mum.”
Gayfer is not only athletic, but similarly imposing physically to last year’s Essendon draftee Sullivan Robey.
He has transformed his physique with a strict gym regimen since being shut down with lower-back stress fractures in the second half of the 2025 season.
The Knights’ medical staff took a cautious approach with Gayfer this year and did not want him playing too many weeks in a row without a break, between his commitments with them, Parade College and Vic Metro.
The approach worked well, with Gayfer making the Talent League’s team of the year, on top of booting 10 goals in four matches at the AFL under-18 championships.
His Knights and St Mary’s-Greensborough teammate and fellow top prospect Harry Van Hattum is convinced Gayfer should be picked in the top five at next month’s draft.
Van Hattum and Gayfer’s fathers, who both have teaching backgrounds, went to university together, and their sons became similarly close competing in little athletics then alongside each other in football.
“I’m obviously good mates with him, but his raw talent, ability, strength and power are amazing,” Van Hattum said. “He’s got to be the best tall forward in the draft.”
Gayfer is appreciative of the praise flowing his way.
He is now universally recognised as the No.1 tall forward in the class, even though some scouts feel he could be even better as a defender.
“It’s pretty special to see the players around you, and being compared to them,” Gayfer said. “A lot of work’s gone into this season, so it’s exciting.”
Gayfer has long admired Blue-turned-Swan Charlie Curnow, but has turned his attention to Fremantle enforcer Josh Treacy this year. That knowledge is hardly surprising, given Gayfer’s own aggressive, physical style.
“I think I’ve always been a competitive and determined player since I was coming through the ranks,” he said.
“I’ve been able to put on a bit of size, and I’ve worked pretty hard through pre-season and entering the gym to build that strength and power.”
Like most draftees, Gayfer will tell you he is happy to go and play anywhere.
But he makes no secret that in an ideal world he would end up at Collingwood, the club he supports and his uncle played for.
“My granddad on my mum’s side is also a mad Collingwood supporter, so I think he’d love it the most,” Gayfer said. “But, yeah, it would be pretty special.”
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