AFL Draft 2022: Schools, pathways clubs and community clubs that produced the most draftees

Big private schools produced more talented draftees this year but public schools from Adelaide and the bush were also strongly represented. See the top 2022 talent pathways.

Chris Cavanagh and Dan Batten

5 min read

December 5, 2022 - 1:00PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Which schools and clubs produced the most draftees?

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Which clubs and schools recorded the best draft hauls?

We have gone through every draftee taken in the national draft to uncover which talent pathway, community clubs and schools have come out on top.

Scroll down to the find out the leaders in all three categories.

NEW NAB LEAGUE ‘FOOTY FACTORY’

The Oakleigh Chargers have solidified their place as the new ‘Footy Factory’ of the NAB League, with nine players from the club being selected in this year’s AFL National Draft.

The Chargers produced four first-round picks, including top-five selections George Wardlaw (North Melbourne) and Elijah Tsatas (Essendon).

Pick 15 Matthew Jefferson (Melbourne) and pick 18 Josh Weddle (Hawthorn) also hailed from the Chargers, along with Essendon-bound twins Alwyn and Jayden Davey.

Blake Drury (North Melbourne) was taken with the first pick of the rookie draft, making it an even ten for Oakleigh.

George Wardlaw was the first Oakleigh Chargers prospect taken. Picture: Getty Images

The Chargers have produced a string of top picks in recent years, headlined by Matt Rowell (pick 1, 2019), Noah Anderson (pick 2, 2019), Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (pick 1, 2020), Will Phillips (pick 3, 2020), Sam Darcy (pick 2, 2021) and Nick Daicos (pick 4, 2021).

The Sandringham Dragons also had a successful year, with seven players from the club finding AFL homes including top-five selections Will Ashcroft and Harry Sheezel.

Gippsland Power matched its 2019 success with another five players selected in the national draft.

Of the 59 players selected in this year’s national draft, 37 were tied to NAB League clubs.

The SANFL produced 11 draftees, while nine players from the WAFL found new homes.

TALENT PATHWAY CLUBS – NATIONAL AND ROOKIE DRAFTS

NAB League (47 players)

Oakleigh Chargers (10) – Matthew Jefferson, Jack O’Sullivan, Jayden Davey, George Wardlaw, Elijah Tsatas, Max Gruzewski, Bailey Macdonald, Josh Weddle, Alwyn Davey, Blake Drury (rookie)

Sandringham Dragons (7) – Harry Sheezel, Cameron Mackenzie, Olli Hotton, Toby McMullin, Charlie Clarke, Will Ashcroft, Angus McLennan (rookie)

Gippsland Power (5) – Coby Burgiel, Max Knobel, Bailey Humphrey, Cooper Vickery, Jacob Konstanty

Geelong Falcons (4) – Jhye Clark, Osca Riccardi (rookie), Oscar Murdoch (rookie), Ted Clohesy (rookie)

Tasmania Devils (4) – Tom McCallum, Lachlan Cowan, Seth Campbell (rookie), Cam Owen (rookie)

GWV Rebels (3) – Aaron Cadman, James Van Es, Hugh Bond

Murray Bushrangers (3) – Oliver Hollands, Brayden George, Caleb Mitchell

Bendigo Pioneers (3) – Noah Long, Harvey Gallagher, Jason Gillbee (rookie)

Dandenong Stingrays (2) – Jaxon Binns, Henry Hustwaite

Brisbane Lions Academy (2) – Jaspa Fletcher, Shadeau Brain (rookie)

GWS Giants Academy (2) — Harry Rowston*, Nick Madden (rookie)

NT Thunder (2) — Lloyd Johnston* (rookie), Anthony Munkara* (rookie)

Sydney Swans Academy (1) — Will Edwards (rookie)

Calder Cannons (1) – Harry Rowston*

Eastern Ranges (1) – Lewis Hayes

Northern Knights (1) – Cooper Harvey

Gold Coast Suns Academy (1) — Lloyd Johnston* (rookie)

*Played for two sides in junior talent pathway

As part of Gold Coast’s Darwin zone, Lloyd Johnston played for both the NT Thunder and the Suns Academy. Picture: Gold Coast Suns

VFL (2)

Frankston (1) – Liam Ready (rookie)

Richmond VFL (1) – Tylar Young (rookie)

SANFL (16 players)

West Adelaide (4) – Harry Lemmey, Harry Barnett, Tom Scully, Anthony Munkara (rookie)

South Adelaide (3) – Kyle Marshall, Jaiden Magor (rookie), Will Verrall (rookie)

Norwood (2) – Max Michalanney, Phoenix Foster

North Adelaide (2) – Isaac Keeler, Billy Dowling

Woodville-West Torrens (2) – Mattaes Phillipou, Nathan Barkla (rookie)

Glenelg (1) – Jakob Ryan

Sturt (1) – Tom Emmett

Central Districts (1) — Rhett Montgomerie (rookie)

WAFL (14 players)

Claremont (3) – Ed Allan, Hugh Davies, Conrad Williams (rookie)

East Perth (3) – Reuben Ginbey, Jedd Busslinger, Jordyn Baker (rookie)

Swan Districts (2) – Elijah Hewett, Darcy Jones

South Fremantle (2) – Steely Green, Hamish Free (rookie)

Peel Thunder (2) – Jed Adams, Josh Draper (rookie)

East Fremantle (1) – Kaleb Smith

Subiaco (1) — Tyrell Dewar

DRAFTEES BY STATE

Victoria – 36

SA – 15

WA – 14

NSW – 4

TAS – 4

NT — 4

QLD – 2

Davey twins and Munkara (from NT) played in Vic and SA respectively

SCHOOLS: WESLEY AND XAVIER REIGN SUPREME

Australian Private School (APS) competitors Wesley College and Xavier College are the dominant schools of the draft class with each having four prospects taken across the national and rookie drafts.

Wesley produced three top 30 selections in Elijah Tsatas (Essendon), Matthew Jefferson (Melbourne) and Coby Burgiel (West Coast).

Xavier College made a late charge to equal Wesley with Alwyn Davey Jr (Essendon), Jack O’Sullivan, Jayden Davey and rookie smokey Oliver Sestan (Melbourne) all taken from the third round of the national draft onward.

Alwyn Jr and Jayden Davey were among the four Xavier College attendees taken. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Geraghty

Caulfield Grammar had three students taken across the draft intake, with Max Gruezewski (GWS) and Jaxon Binns (Carlton) both selected on the second night of the draft and Blake Drury selected by North Melbourne with the first pick of the rookie draft.

In terms of public schools, new St Kilda teammates Mattaes Phillipou and Isaac Keeler both attended Henley High School in Adelaide, along with Power NGA pickup Nathan Barkla.

Newborough’s Lowanna College in the Gippsland region was home to close mates and first-round picks Bailey Humphrey (Gold Coast) and Jacob Konstanty (Sydney).

Meanwhile, Brighton Grammar produced two top-10 selections in Lions father-son prodigy Will Ashcroft and Hawthorn draftee Cam Mackenzie.

SCHOOLS WITH MOST DRAFTEES

Wesley College (4)

Elijah Tsatas – Essendon

Matthew Jefferson – Melbourne

Coby Burgiel – West Coast

Bailey Macdonald – Hawthorn

Xavier College (4)

Alwyn Davey Jr – Essendon

Jack O’Sullivan – Hawthorn

Jayden Davey – Essendon (rookie)

Oliver Sestan – Melbourne (rookie)

Caulfield Grammar (3)

Max Gruzewski – GWS

Jaxon Binns – Carlton

Blake Drury – North Melbourne (rookie)

Henley High School (3)

Mattaes Phillipou – St Kilda

Isaac Keeler – St Kilda

Nathan Barkla – Port Adelaide (rookie

Brighton Grammar (2)

Will Ashcroft – Brisbane

Cam Mackenzie – Hawthorn

Assumption College (2)

Harry Rowston – GWS

Cooper Harvey – North Melbourne

Geelong Grammar (2)

Ollie Hollands – Carlton

Noah Long – West Coast

Lowanna College (2)

Bailey Humphrey – Gold Coast

Jacob Konstanty – Sydney

Wesley College – Perth (2)

Reuben Ginbey – West Coast

Kaleb Smith – Richmond

St Patrick’s College (2)

Aaron Cadman — GWS

James Van Es — St Kilda

COMMUNITY CLUS: SURREY PARK, ASHBURTON LEAD THE WAY

As far as community clubs go, Surrey Park from the Eastern Football Netball League and Ashburton (Yarra Junior Football League) were the big winners, with three draftees apiece.

Tsatas, Gruzewski and Bailey Macdonald played their junior football at the Panthers, while Jefferson and the two Davey twins – Alwyn Jr and Jayden – were Ashburton Redbacks exports.

But the Daveys’ main tie is to the Palmerston Magpies in the Northern Territory Football League where their father, Alwyn Sr, has captained and coached the club.

Meanwhile, two players who came through the ranks in North Ballarat – midfielder Hugh Bond (Ballarat Football League) and James Van Es.