West Adelaide defender Elliot Dunkin hopes to be a mature-age pick in 2019 AFL draft
He was unable to be taken in the mid-season draft because he did not fill out a form. But he has put it behind him and AFL clubs are still keen on this SANFL defender after a breakout season.
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Elliot Dunkin watched on in May as his West Adelaide teammates Will Snelling and John Noble were picked up by AFL clubs and was left wondering what could have been.
But a missed opportunity at the mid-season draft due to confusion over eligibility rules has spurred the late-blooming Blood on.
The 21-year-old half-back with elite kicking skills had a breakout season in the SANFL to force his name in front of AFL recruiters.
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“Seeing Johnny and Snells go was a really good thing, I’m pretty close with both of them,” Dunkin says.
“It was awesome to see them go and fulfil their dream.
“Being with them from pre-season and seeing how hard they pushed and worked ... it pushed me in a way to work that little bit harder and push that little bit further.
“It gave me a bit of fire in my belly.”
Dunkin’s ability by foot is his obvious weapon but a quick first step and willingness to take opponents on – traits he says were developed in years of playing Gaelic football as a teenager – also led to him fielding calls from multiple AFL clubs since the end of the season.
But there was more than one team keen on him in May.
All three of the young Bloods – Dunkin, Snelling and Noble – had received interest in the lead up to the first mid-season draft since 1993.
Snelling went to Essendon at pick seven and Noble to Collingwood at selection 14. Each would go on to make an impact at their respective clubs.
But 21-year-old Dunkin was ineligible to be picked.
All players hopeful of being picked up needed to have nominated for the previous year’s draft.
But Dunkin, and many others, failed to do so believing their previous nomination lasted for three years.
A change enforced in 2017 means all players must nominate annually.
But the 179cm defender, who averaged 19 disposals across 18 games to finish third in the Bloods’ best and fairest, soldiered on and finished the season strong at Richmond Oval.
He’s come along way, from playing as an over-ager in the under-18s and unable to cement a spot in the reserves in 2017.
Dunkin then made two league appearances last year before a breakthrough 2019 campaign.
As for this month’s upcoming draft, which he has made certain he is eligible for, the PHOS Camden junior is taking it in his stride.
“I’ve had a few interviews (with clubs) this year and I think they went all right,” he says.
“The season is over and the combine is done now so it’s just a waiting game really.”