AFL Draft: Scouting notes, full stats from AFL Academy clash
A host of AFL mid-season draft prospects relished in the opportunity to impress recruiters in the final Young Guns game on Sunday. Check out the full stats and SuperCoach scores here.
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A raft of AFL mid-season draft prospects relished one of their last opportunities to impress recruiters in the second and final Young Guns game on Sunday.
Victorian prospects Ryan Maric, Luke Teal, Clay Tucker and Jack Cleaver were among the better players for the Young Guns in a match against Vic Country at Ikon Park.
Maric, who is highly rated by recruiters, showed his talents in a new role in defence.
The Gippsland Power product gathered 23 disposals, eight rebound 50s and six marks in a three-point win for his side.
A mobile tall at 193cm, Maric made good decisions, pressed hard up the ground to squeeze the opposition and used his powerful boot as part of a host of chains coming out of the back half for the Young Guns.
Maric had impressed as a key forward in the Young Guns’ first match against Vic Metro a week earlier, kicking one goal from nine disposals and three marks in that match.
Teal also featured in a new role as he was thrust into the midfield, after playing across halfback in the Young Guns’ first match.
He made the most of the opportunity as he collected a game-high 32 disposals and eight marks, running hard and being a key cog in many handball chains as his side worked the ball forward.
Hailing from the Oakleigh Chargers, Teal was part of the AFL Academy squad last year but missed selection in the drafts following an injury and illness-interrupted campaign.
His two appearances with the Young Guns this season have come after three games with the Chargers in the Coates Talent League and a further three games with Richmond in the VFL.
A towering ruckman or forward, Tucker has attracted interest from clubs including Hawthorn and did his mid-season draft chances no harm as he racked up 13 disposals, 14 hit-outs, five marks and two goals.
When in the ruck, the 204cm Eastern Ranges product particularly impressed with his hit-outs at centre bounce and also worked hard to push back and support his defence.
Playing forward during the third quarter, Tucker had a purple patch as he took two marks on the lead and went back and converted two nice goals, showing off some sound kicking skills.
Cleaver – who has been playing for Essendon’s VFL side – was solid across the match and finished with 27 disposals and six marks.
Defender Mitch Doddos (19 disposals, six marks) was another to catch the eye for the Young Guns, as was Michael Kiraly (20 disposals, seven marks, two goals).
Kiraly has been compared to and is a friend of Collingwood forward Jack Ginnivan, who also came out of the Bendigo Pioneers.
For Vic Country, defenders Luamon Lual (26 disposals) and Angus Hastie (21 disposals) were among the better players, while Lachie Charleson finished with four goals from 16 disposals in attack.
The AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft will be held on May 31.
YOUNG GUNS SUPERCOACH RANKING POINTS
128 – Jack Cleaver
128 – Luke Teal
104 – Ethan Stanley
101 – Mitch Dodos
97 – Michael Kiraly
91 – Mitch Szybkowski
89 – Ryan Maric
88 – Archie Sinnott
86 – Hamish Pierson
85 – Nicholas Newton
83 – Clay Tucker
76 – Rye Penny
75 – Jedd Longmire
64 – William Elliott
62 – Jovan Petric
56 – Paddy Cross
55 – Archer May
54 – Tom Bower
46 – Ziggy Toledo-Glasman
42 – Tom Stern
40 – Flynn Riley
33 – Beau Tedcastle
20 – Joziah Nannup
VIC COUNTRY SUPERCOACH RANKING POINTS
133 – Coby James
126 – Luamon Lual
125 – Oscar Ryan
106 – Oliver Poole
100 – Lachlan Charleson
95 – Kobe Shipp
88 – Joel Freijah
84 – Angus Hastie
81 – Michael Rudd
69 – Kade De La Rue
69 – Wil Dawson
67 – Billy Wilson
66 – Joe Pike
64 – Thomas Peirce
63 – Sam Frangalas
58 – Harry Demattia
53 – Patrick Hughes
48 – Ben Hopkins
35 – Jacob Grant
33 – Lachlan Smith
27 – Mac Scoullar
5 – Xavier Lindsay
Draft: Scouting notes, full stats from AFL Academy clash
Gold Coast is eyeing off a bumper draft haul this year as the Suns gear up to get their hands on a trio of talented prospects out of their Academy.
Suns Academy player Jake Rogers stole the show during the Australian under-18 match against Carlton’s VFL side on Saturday, with the midfielder-forward continuing to climb up draft boards.
Rogers won the medal as the best player across the AFL Academy squad’s two matches, which also included a clash against Port Adelaide’s SANFL side in April.
He gathered 12 disposals, three clearances and kicked a goal against the Power, before backing that up with 26 disposals (13 contested), six clearances and four marks against the Blues.
While he is on the smaller side at 171cm, Rogers is tough, quick, clean and creative and knows how to find the footy and kick goals.
“We spoke as midfielders about the contest and I thought I started off really well based on my contest,” Rogers said.
“The team was really up and about, too. It was our second camp so we took a lot of learnings out of the first one, playing against bigger bodies and a lot quicker footy. I think all of the boys really adapted for this second game.”
Rogers was born in Melbourne and still barracks for Collingwood but moved to the Gold Coast at a young age and has played all his football there, joining the Suns Academy in under-12s.
Having finished school last year, he spent the whole off-season training with the Suns’ senior group.
“We pretty much did the full pre-season. The full three months,” Rogers said.
“The first week as soon as I got home from training, my head was straight on the pillow. It was the hardest training I’d ever done. But it kept me in good stead for this year and I feel like I’ve really developed my game from there.”
Rogers was not the only Suns Academy player to catch the eye for the Australian team on Saturday, with Jed Walter and Ethan Read both exciting in attack.
The AFL under-18 national championships kick off on June 4.
SCOUTING NOTES FROM AFL ACADEMY GAME v CARLTON VFL
Harley Reid (13 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 1 clearance)
The likely No.1 draft pick started in the midfield but was kept relatively quiet, before being switched to defence in the second quarter. He read the play well behind the ball and took two intercept marks down back, as well as providing good run and rebound from the defence half. Reid’s pressure and tackling was excellent and he pulled out a signature fend off or two. Unfortunately, he suffered a head knock in a tackle in the third quarter and sat out the rest of the game.
Nick Watson (10 disposals, 2 marks, 1 clearance, 1 goal)
The exciting small forward kicked a goal in the opening quarter on the back of a clever mark in the goalsquare, before again being sent to defence in the second quarter. While he did not have a stack of the ball, he dazzled with some of the plays he was able to set up from the back half through some run and receive plays. Watson came from the field at three-quarter time with a minor ankle complain, sitting out the final quarter.
Jake Rogers (26 disposals, 13 contested possessions, 6 clearances, 4 marks)
The Gold Coast Suns Academy member was his side’s best player on the day, leading the way through the midfield. He was clean, tough, worked hard contest-to-contest, showed some good speed and helped to set up play through his handball game.
Ryley Sanders (24 disposals, 5 inside 50s, 4 marks, 3 clearances, 2 tackles)
A prime ball winner through the midfield across the match, Sanders was seemingly everywhere at stages. He gets to the right spots and runs hard to provide an outlet for teammates outside of the contest.
Colby McKercher (20 disposals, 3 marks, 3 clearances, 2 tackles)
Like Rogers and Sanders, McKercher was one of the staples through the midfield in this match and made his presence felt. He has good pace and works his way through traffic well. Recruiters have compared him to being a quicker version of Essendon’s Zach Merrett.
Nate Caddy (14 disposals, 4 marks, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal)
The 192cm key forward was a key target in the attacking half for his side and presented well across the game. He worked hard up the ground, took some nice marks and kicked a lovely goal from beyond the 50m arc during the second quarter.
Jed Walter (9 disposals, 2 marks, 3 inside-50s, 1 goal)
Another Gold Coast Suns Academy member, Walter certainly caught the eye as he worked in tandem with Caddy as a lead-up key forward. He is a strong and powerful athlete who presented well up the ground and snapped a nice goal around the corner in the opening quarter.
Archie Roberts (17 disposals, 6 marks, 3 rebound 50s, 2 clearances)
Another week, another good game from Roberts across half-back. He takes the game on and generally uses the ball very well.
Daniel Curtin (15 disposals, 5 marks, 4 rebound 50s)
The 195cm key defender from Western Australia looked composed down back and was good in the contest against some more physically developed opponents.
Cooper Simpson (17 disposals, 4 marks, 1 goal)
Used the ball well and made good decisions across the match, capping off his game with a lovely goal on the run in the final quarter.
MORE STATS
Jack Delean (16 disposals, 4 marks, 4 inside-50s, 1 goal)
Koltuyn Tholstrup (13 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s)
Caiden Cleary (13 disposals, 5 tackles, 3 clearances, 1 mark)
Darcy Wilson (12 disposals, 6 marks, 1 goal)
Ethan Read (12 disposals, 5 marks, 2 inside-50s, 1 goal)
Will Lorenz (11 disposals, 2 clearances, 1 mark)
Nathan Philactides (10 disposals, 5 marks, 3 inside-50s)
Jack Callinan (10 disposals, 2 marks, 2 inside-50s, 1 goal)
George Stevens (10 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 2 clearances)
Riley Hardeman (10 disposals, 2 inside-50s, 1 mark)
Orlando Turner (9 disposals, 2 marks, 2 inside-50s, 2 goals)
Zane Duursma (9 disposals, 3 clearances, 3 inside-50s, 2 tackles, 1 goal)
Archer Reid (9 disposals, 4 tackles, 4 hitouts, 3 inside-50s, 1 goal)
Mitchell Edwards (9 disposals, 5 marks, 13 hitouts, 1 clearance, 1 goal)
Connor O’Sullivan (9 disposals, 1 tackle, 1 rebound-50)
Will Patton (7 disposals, 3 marks, 2 rebound-50s)
Kane McAuliffe (7 disposals, 2 marks, 2 clearances, 2 inside-50s)
Ashton Moir (6 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 1 clearance)
Lachlan Cabor (6 disposals, 2 marks)
William Green (6 hitouts)
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Originally published as AFL Draft: Scouting notes, full stats from AFL Academy clash
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