AFL Draft 2021: Tony Bamford on SA’s top prospects and where they could go, Shay Linke recovering from boat accident injury
SA Academy coach Tony Bamford has fired back at the criticism directed at Matt Roberts. Here’s the latest intel and Bamford’s final say on the state’s best draft chances.
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SANFL Academy coach Tony Bamford has gone in to bat for Jason Horne-Francis’s midfield sidekick Matthew Roberts, labelling stinging draft criticism of him as “rubbish’’.
While South Adelaide game-breaker Horne-Francis is a lock to be taken at pick one by wooden spooner North Melbourne, several AFL clubs have questioned Roberts’ physique and athleticism and suggested the ball magnet – long considered a first-round selection – could be a big draft slider and even fall into the back end of the national draft.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE LATEST INTEL AND BAMFORD’S FINAL SAY ON SA’S TOP PROSPECTS
But Bamford, who has overseen the South product’s development through the SANFL’s elite junior programs, is adamant Roberts has the attributes to be an AFL star.
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“He’s a (natural) footballer who needs to be on an AFL list,’’ Bamford said, noting how the 18-year-old had polarised recruiters.
“I’ve had some heated conversations with some AFL recruiters regarding Matty but he is too smart, too good and too clean not to be a very good AFL footballer.
“He hasn’t got the athletic body of a Horne-Francis, (South’s) Arlo Draper or (North Adelaide’s) James Willis, but that will come.
“What you do when you look at him play live is say, ‘wow, how did he get there because 30 seconds ago he looked like he was out of the play?’.
“He reads the game quicker than anyone from SA in this draft pool. And when you look at his GPS numbers on a Monday you say, ‘hang on a minute, those numbers are as good as what (Port Adelaide star) Travis Boak runs at AFL level’.
“So there’s no need to hesitate about Matty, in my opinion, because he’s a very, very good footballer who runs hard enough to play AFL next year.’’
While Roberts is modelling his game on Western Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli, Bamford compares his style – because of his versatility – to hard-running Collingwood premiership utility Steele Sidebottom.
PHANTOM DRAFT: LATEST INTEL ON HOW TOP 30 PICKS COULD FALL
He said while some clubs had “questioned his athletic stuff’’, other clubs were “really keen on him’’ and had earmarked him with their top two selections.
“Opinions on Matty are not universal, he is splitting some clubs,’’ Bamford said.
Bamford rates Roberts among SA’s top four draft prospects, along with Horne-Francis, Draper and Glenelg excitement machine Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.
He believes wingman Wanganeen-Milera – a nephew of former Essendon and Port champion and 1993 Brownlow Medallist Gavin Wanganeen – will become a star.
Horne-Francis, he says, is the best player that has come through his under-18 program.
Bamford rates the standard of this year’s SA draft crop as being “similar’’ to the past two seasons and expects “eight-to-12’’ to be selected in the national draft on Wednesday and Thursday.
FINAL WORD SA’S TOP DRAFT CHANCES
Jason Horne-Francis (South Adelaide)
Midfielder/forward, 185cm, 81kg
Draft range: 1
Bamford says: “Jase is the best (prospect) we’ve had in my time. He’s done it all. Sometimes a player will leave a question mark in one aspect of the game, but he just ticks all the boxes. When his team has the football, he excels. When the other team has the football, he excels. And when the football needs to be won, that’s when he really excels.”
We say: Some believe the South Adelaide teenager is the best prospect to ever come out of the state and North Melbourne is set to crown him the No. 1 pick on Wednesday night.
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (Glenelg)
Wingman, 188cm, 71kg
Draft range: 4-12
Bamford says: “He’s going to be a star, an absolute star. A beautiful young man, very respectful and has great values. He might be tall and a bit lanky now but he’ll end up being a similar size, maybe a bit taller, to Wayne Milera at the Crows, there is plenty of muscle mass there.”
We say: The draft’s best kick, who is incredibly balanced, has suitors in the top-10. The Crows are interested but he may only come into play if they trade back. It’s very unlikely Wanganeen-Milera gets past Port Adelaide at pick 12, but many suspect he’ll be gone by then.
Arlo Draper (South Adelaide)
Forward/midfielder, 186cm, 75kg
Draft range: 15-30
Bamford says: “Arlo has been thrown around from position to position since he was 15, and I’ve seen him be the best player on the ground in all three areas. But it’s in the midfield where he plays his best footy, it’s where he’s most dangerous. He’s going to be exciting to watch.”
We say: After having little impact early in national championships, and then hurting his shoulder, Draper’s end to the year was underwhelming. And, given he’s played on every line, there is some concern over his best position at the top level. But his potential as a classy, goalkicking midfielder is undeniable and he’s likely to now land in the second round.
Matthew Roberts (South Adelaide)
Midfielder/forward, 184cm, 80kg
Draft range: 20-40
We say: He’s tough, clean and competitive, and when you see the game quicker than others, does it matter if your running isn’t as good? Some think it does, but there’s still enough early interest to see Roberts drafted in the second round.
Leek Alleer (Central)
Key defender, 195cm, 84kg
Draft range: 20-40
Central District coach Paul Thomas says: “He’s very athletic, very coachable, very intelligent, very humble and a very quiet professional whose upside is tremendous.”
We say: The freakishly athletic 20-year-old is raw and, despite starring in the SANFL, will have plenty to learn about playing in defence at the top level. But his ceiling is as high as any key-position prospect in the pool and a club could pounce in the second-round, with Geelong showing interest.
Cooper Murley (Norwood)
Midfielder/forward, 178cm, 69kg
Draft range: 30-60
Bamford says: “He’s had two really unfortunate injuries this year but based on his 16th and 17th years, he’s definitely in the top 40 draftable players in Australia and maybe in five years time well look back and say someone got Cooper very cheaply. In his under-17 year, I saw some comparisons to what (Port’s) Connor Rozee did for us at the same age.”
We say: It was a very difficult year for the excitement machine but he’s spoken to 17 AFL clubs and his body of work over the previous two seasons should see him drafted on Thursday night, with his name linked to Adelaide’s second pick.
James Willis (North Adelaide)
Midfielder, 180cm, 75kg
Draft range: 30-60
Bamford says: “He’s a powerful young man. The way he plays, you can’t help but notice him. The modern AFL midfielder who can accelerate and power away from congestion and drive the ball forward, that’s the way he plays. He’s also got really good speed and intensity to hunt the opposition and I know some clubs have been tracking with the thought of turning him into a pressure forward at AFL level.”
We say: Clubs love his traits and the explosive North Adelaide midfielder/forward is now right in the second-to-third-round mix.
Jase Burgoyne (Eagles)
Wingman/halfback, 186cm, 65kg
Draft range: 40+
(Earlier this year) Bamford says: “He’s an elite talent, with speed, acceleration, terrific agility and clean hands. I think his best football is at half-back and in the midfield and once he gets another 10kg heavier, boy oh boy, he’s that talented he could turn into the next Shaun Burgoyne.’’
We say: The Power will be ready to match a bid on Thursday night and it could come, given the talent, and enormous upside, of the lightly-built teenager.
Alastair Lord (Norwood)
Defender/midfielder, 180cm, 76kg
Draft range: 40+
Bamford says: “Boy, oh, boy, he got back into straight away (after returning from injury), playing half-back with real strong energy and bounce on the turnover - a bit like (Bomber) Adam Saad. Unbelievably fast feet, likes to take on the opposition but the thing I like most about it is he’s good one-on-one. There’s been a lot of inquiries (from AFL clubs) and a lot of interest around him.
We say: Caught the eye of recruiters with his blistering return from injury late in the year, and is as daring with his run and foot skills than any player in the pool.It’s why there is interest in the second half of the draft.
Lewis Rayson (Glenelg)
Defender, 183cm, 69kg
Draft range: 40+
(Earlier this year) Bamford says: “He’s a very offensive defender who has speed and acceleration on the outside and is a beautiful left-foot kick. Needs to get stronger to be able to compete one-on-one but he has the ability to find holes in traffic and get outside and create damage with his elite kick.’’
We say: Another Croweater who is a chance to find an AFL home from the third-round onwards. North Melbourne is one of the clubs showing interest in the rebounding defender, who is a clever, efficient ball user with a nice turn of foot.
Hugh Jackson (North Adelaide)
Midfielder, 181cm, 70kg
Draft range: 40+
Bamford says: “I think all 18 clubs would like his weapons. Very, very good, clean hands, good awareness of what’s around him, can play inside and outside, and has an elite kick. There’s a lot to like - and all clubs have noticed. Quiet under-19 champs was a shame - but that happens.”
We say: Struggled late in the year after a hot start at under-18 level, but his strengths are going to be too hard to ignore, with both SA clubs a chance to pounce late on Thursday if no one else does before.
OTHERS IN THE MIX
Oscar Adams (Glenelg)
Shay Linke (Central)
Jordan Lukac (Eagles)
Harvey Harrison (North Adelaide)
Hugh Stagg (Glenelg)
Isaac Birt (South Adelaide)
Casey Voss (Sturt)
Luke Beecken (Eagles)
Eamon Wilkinson (South Adelaide)
SA prospect recovering at home from freak accident
- Matt Turner
A South Australian draft prospect is recovering at home after sustaining injuries in a boating accident on the River Murray.
Central District midfielder Shay Linke broke his arm and received lacerations on his backside when he was run over by a boat at Waikerie about a fortnight ago.
Linke, who played six league games for the Bulldogs this season, fell off a tube in choppy water during a day on the river with friends and was struck by the boat as it went to pick him up.
After putting his arm up to protect himself, the boat hit it and broke it, then its propeller cut his backside.
Linke went to hospital and had a plate inserted into his arm.
Now back at home, he will be running by Christmas and be able to complete a full pre-season next year.
The 190cm state under-19 representative has attracted interest from about six teams and is considered a late or rookie option.
His accident is not expected to influence his draft prospects.
Linke’s strengths include his decision-making in traffic, overhead marking and ability to find the ball in space.
His height is a potential point of difference for clubs seeking midfielders.
Linke recorded the seventh-fastest time nationally in the 2km time trial at the SA combine.
The national draft will be held on Wednesday and Thursday.
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