Draft guru Kevin Sheehan runs his eye over 15 of South Australia’s best AFL prospects for 2024
A top-five contender. Father-sons. A speedster tied to Port Adelaide. The best young ruck. Renowned draft expert Kevin Sheehan shares his thoughts on the best of SA’s 2024 draft crop.
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South Australian AFL hopefuls are counting the days until this month’s drafts.
The immediate football futures of some of the most talented young players from across the country will be determined from November 20-22.
This masthead spoke to renowned draft expert and AFL talent ambassador Kevin Sheehan about 15 of SA’s best prospects for 2024.
FULL DRAFT DOSSIER: THE 60 BEST PROSPECTS OF THE 2024 DRAFT
* Listed in alphabetical order
■ BENNY BARRETT
South Adelaide, 174cm midfielder/small forward
“He lit the game up when he played his first game at national championship level and it made you think ‘where’s he been?’ He was pretty good in a couple of games with his speed, he tested brilliantly in the 20m sprint at the state combine (finishing first). That speed separates him from many of the others and Port will have a decision to make there as a Next Generation Academy prospect.”
NED BOWMAN
Norwood, 186cm forward
“He’s got versatility to play at both ends of the ground. He’s not fully developed physically but he’s got a touch of class. He had three goals in a game at national level and might play off half-back. He would be a project player but there’s clear indications he’s got AFL potential with his combination of speed and endurance. You’d expect to see him go somewhere.”
■ ROME BURGOYNE
Woodville-West Torrens/Port Adelaide, 182cm half-back
“He finished the year well. It doesn’t do any harm to see (brother) Jase doing well at Port Adelaide. He was very good in a final. He’s a different type of player and athlete to Jase, but he’s still got the traits of being able to find the footy and use it very, very well. You’d be surprised if Port doesn’t take him (as a father-son selection).”
■ BEN CAMPOREALE
Glenelg, 186cm inside midfielder
“He hasn’t done a lot wrong in the last three years. They’re rangy boys, the pair of them (Camporeale twins). He’s a really competitive beast who can play half-back or win the contested ball in the midfield. He does all the fundamentals well and doesn’t fumble it. His kicking will get better in a full-time environment. His hands are terrific. He had a great game at the MCG last year as a 17-year-old then had a terrific year this year. The bid will come, we just don’t know when because there’s sometimes a bit of cat and mouse with that.”
■ LUCAS CAMPOREALE
Glenelg, 184cm wingman
“The wing is a real specialist role these days where you have to have discipline to play wide, be the outlet and work your backside off, and I think he’s got every bit of that. He’s a good user of the ball on his left foot. He’s a different type to his brother but they might complement each other pretty well. His ball-winning ability to get over in the right spots is a trait you need in every team. Again, we don’t know where the bid comes, but Carlton will be looking forward to getting both the brothers into their footy club.”
■ ANGUS CLARKE
Glenelg, 189cm defender
“You want your defenders to be composed and make few mistakes. That’s his profile. He’s very relaxed, intercepts well, uses it well. I know clubs have warmed to him given his story as a very committed kid to get down (from Mount Gambier) to train and play. Clubs just see this tremendous growth and improvement in him when he gets in a full-time environment. He was fantastic in the 2km time trial at the national combine (finishing third). He’s a lovely size to be a third or fourth defender.”
■ ALEX DODSON
Sturt, 203cm ruckman
“He’s no doubt the leading ruck prospect. Where he’ll go, it’s really hard to know each year with ruckman and it depends how much clubs prioritise the ruck position as an immediate need. I’d think he’s a first-round choice. Given basketball occupied him a fair bit, he’s got so much development still in him, yet he was still fantastic this year, getting All-Australian honours. He’s competitive, mobile, a great size and can win the ball. He’s got a bit of Brodie Grundy in him. He just needs time to develop physically to compete against the bigger bodies.”
■ SID DRAPER
South Adelaide, 182cm midfielder
“He’s the most ready to run player from SA. Despite some setbacks this year with injury, he’s built his resilience and been able to overcome that and still had back-to-back All-Australian years. Very few kids do that. He’s capable of playing right at the start of next year. He’s super professional, a great young leader and has got some X-factor out the centre with his speed and ability to change lanes, and step through. He gets separation and opens the game up, like a Connor Rozee. He’s a contender to go in the top half a dozen.”
PHOENIX HARGRAVE
South Adelaide, 181cm inside midfielder
“He’s had a pretty solid two years. As a bottom-ager, he won the MVP in the SANFL under-18 comp and this year he played some senior footy. He’s done enough to be a chance to get through and has given himself a great foundation.”
TOM MCKAY
Glenelg, 191cm defender
“He’s a lightly framed boy … so it’s an investment into your future. He’s a one-touch player. You’d like him to get to 194cm to play that third defender type role. He had some great moments in the championship, was pretty composed, used it well, is an intercept marker. He’s one that would be attracting a fair bit of interest.”
JACOB MOLIER
Sturt, 201cm ruckman
“He tested really well for speed (at the state combine) and he’s grown a lot in the past 12 months. He was 195cm or 196cm 12 months ago. He’s tall, he’s quick, he was sharing the ruckwork with Alex Dodson so he’s probably a bit underexposed because Dodson was getting the main role. Is there enough to go with at the moment or does a club wait until the mid-year draft? Some would be scrambling back to have a look at vision of him playing after the way he tested.”
JACOB NEWTON
Norwood, 178cm midfielder/small forward
“He was pretty solid at national level then outstanding at club level. He has ability to adapt, playing a small forward role quite well at the nationals, then dominating in midfield roles back at Norwood.”
■ CHARLIE NICHOLLS
Central District, 197cm key position player
“I like him, not just because of his size and marking, but because of his versatility too. He’s quick, he tested well (at the national combine), so he maybe he could be a tall defender or tall forward. You saw indications at national level of his potential and had dominant games back at club level. He’s got some real AFL traits.”
TYLER WELSH
Woodville-West Torrens/Crows, 191cm forward
“He’s almost had the advantage of getting his first year out of the way by playing most of his games with the Crows in the SANFL. When he slipped back to under-18 SANFL footy, he absolutely dominated. We’ve seen that on a couple of occasions at national level. He had a promising development year and over the three-year period he’s done plenty to suggest he’ll have an impact at AFL level. I imagine the bid will come fairly late but that might be the biggest gift the Crows get. I think he’s got some enormous talent. He’s got speed off the mark that makes him hard to match up on, he’s strong and he’s got natural talent as a forward, being able to find the goals, like his father (ex-Crows, North Melbourne and Western Bulldogs sharpshooter Scott Welsh). He’ll need to work on his consistency but that’ll come with experience.”
CHARLIE WEST
Woodville-West Torrens, 194cm forward
“He tested super well (at the national combine), which will give him a hell of a chance because of his speed and size. Some of the marks he took – and we only saw glimpses at national level – were pretty impressive. We’ll have to wait to see how it unfolds because it’s a pretty strong draft.”
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