Bloods excitement machine Izak Rankine earns high praise at AFL Draft Combine
TRIPLE Brisbane premiership player Luke Power has added to the buzz about West Adelaide excitement machine Izak Rankine. See what he had to say and find out who else impressed at the AFL Draft Combine, along with the top results.
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TRIPLE Brisbane premiership player Luke Power has added to the buzz about West Adelaide excitement machine Izak Rankine by describing him as “probably the most talented player that I’ve seen come through the pathway for a long time’’.
As Norwood’s Jacob Kennerley boosted his draft hopes on Friday by breaking the AFL Draft Combine 2km time trial record, Power raved about dual All-Australian under-18 player Rankine’s ability.
“I’ve seen a few players come through to AFL clubs over the years and you don’t want to pump kids up too much but he (Rankine) has the mindset to be able to deal with whatever pressure comes his way,’’ said Power, who is the AFL Academy head coach and was an inaugural co-captain of GWS in 2012 when it compiled the country’s best young talent.
“He has elite speed and is probably the most talented player that I’ve seen come through the pathway for a long time.
“He’s played SANFL since he was 16, has two full years of league footy behind him and has got even more development left in him.’’
South Australia’s five-goal star in its AFL under-18 championship-deciding match against Vic Metro in July, Rankine was a standout in the power events at this week’s combine in Melbourne.
The electrifying small forward/midfielder won the agility test (8.039 seconds) and finished fourth in the 20m sprint (2.93 secs) and standing vertical jump (70cm).
The only dual All-Australian under-18 player in the draft pool, Rankine wasn’t so good in the endurance testing but should be a top five, and possibly top three, selection at next month’s national draft
Redleg Kennerley blitzed the field in the 2km run to set a record time of 6 minutes, 4 seconds.
A member of this year’s triumphant SA under-18 team, midfielder Kennerley smashed the previous record — set by Hawthorn draftee Dylan Moore last year — by five seconds.
Possible No. 1 pick Jack Lukosius, from the Eagles, finished equal-second in the goalkicking test and equal-fifth in the kicking test while North Adelaide premiership
utility Connor Rozee showcased his athletic prowess by finishing in the top-10 for the standing vertical jump, running vertical jump, sprint and agility tests.
While Power gushed about the talents of Rankine and his Henley High School classmate Lukosius, he believes Carlton will take Victorian midfielder Sam Walsh with the first selection.
“There is no clear No. 1 pick, there is a lot of good players at the top end of the draft,’’ Power told radio FIVEaa.
“But if Carlton is going to hold on to its pick then Walsh is probably the player that most suits them at this stage.
“He’s an elite runner, so that is going to give him the ability to be able to make a lot of contests early on in his career.’’
Power said the draft has a good mix of talls and smalls and, like most recruiters, he praised the high-end talent coming out of SA.
“All of them impress me greatly,’’ he said.
“We've spoken about Izak, Jack is a very laid-back kid, a key forward, key back who has the running ability to play on the wing early on in his career.
“We saw what Connor was able to do late in the year in the (SANFL) finals and he has great flexibility.
“With the other two (top Croweaters), Luke Valente and Jackson Hately, you just know what you are going to get every week.
“They are consistently high performers who are always going to get the ball and tackle for you.’’
Valente was unable to test physically at the combine as he recovers from a knee injury.
Sturt mature-age prospect Shane McAdam was restricted by a minor calf strain.
MAKING A STATEMENT
(AFL Draft Combine results)
KICKING
(Score out of 30)
Tarryn Thomas (Tas) 27
Xavier O’Neill (Vic) 27
Matt McGannon (Vic) 25
Ely Smith (Vic) 24
Laitham Vandermeer (Vic) 23
Jack Lukosius (SA) 23
GOALKICKING
(Score out of 30)
Isaac Quaynor (Vic) 30
Keidean Coleman (Qld) 25
Tarryn Thomas (Tas) 25
Tom McKenzie (Vic) 25
Mark Keane (Ire) 25
Jack Lukosius (SA) 25
STANDING VERTICAL JUMP
Ely Smith (Vic) 77cm
Laitham Vandermeer (Vic) 72cm
Ben Jarvis (SA) 72cm
Izak Rankine (SA) 70cm
Irving Mosquito (Vic) 68cm
Bailey Scott (Qld) 68cm
RUNNING VERTICAL JUMP (Right Foot)
Sam Sturt (Vic) 91cm
Chayce Jones (Tas) 85cm
Xavier Duursma (Vic) 83cm
Ely Smith (Vic) 82cm
Isaac Quaynor (Vic) 81cm
Riley Grundy (SA) 81cm
RUNNING VERTICAL JUMP (Left Foot)
Bailey Williams (Vic) 94cm
Chayce Jones (Tas) 91cm
Connor Rozee (SA) 88cm
Laitham Vandermeer (Vic) 88cm
Ben Jarvis (SA) 86cm
Ely Smith (Vic) 86cm
20M SPRINT
Tom McKenzie (Vic) 2.904 seconds
Connor Rozee (SA) 2.91 seconds
Will Hamill (Vic) 2.914 seconds
Izak Rankine (SA) 2.93 seconds
Connor Idun (Vic) 2.945 seconds
Bailey Williams (Vic) 2.946 seconds
AGILITY
Izak Rankine (SA) 8.039 seconds
Xavier O’Halloran (Vic) 8.063 seconds
Rhylee West (Vic) 8.216 seconds
Will Hamill (Vic) 8.222 seconds
James Blanck (Vic) 8.258 seconds
Chayce Jones (Tas) 8.270 seconds
YO-YO TEST
Ned McHenry (Vic) level 22.2
Sam Walsh (Vic) 22.1
Luke English (WA) 22.1
Will Golds (Vic) 21.8
Xavier O’Halloran (Vic) 21.6
Oscar Brownless (Vic) 21.6
2KM TIME TRIAL
Jacob Kennerley (SA) 6:04
Chayce Jones (Tas) 6:06