Year of the Croweater: Andrew Capel’s Road to the AFL Draft

IT has been labelled an AFL ‘superdraft’ where SA could have its greatest haul of top-10 picks. And the boys lived up to the hype in the opening round of the national AFL under-18 championships. Andrew Capel follows their progress in his Road to the Draft.

Andrew Capel's Road to the Draft

• Crows in hunt for a top Croweater
• Injured Crow coaching state junior side
• Lukosius stars as SA storms to big win
• AFL looks at SA recruiting zones

IT has been labelled an AFL ‘superdraft’ where South Australia could have its greatest-ever haul of top-10 picks.

And the big boys lived up to the hype in the opening round of the AFL under-18 division one championships.

Potential No. 1 selection Jack Lukosius was a standout as SA demolished Western Australia — a team that beat it with a golden behind in Perth last year — by 15 goals.

With recruiting teams from all 18 AFL clubs sitting in the stands at Alberton Oval, the Croweaters raced to a 26-point lead at quarter-time and did not take their foot off the pedal, extending their lead at every break to win by 89 points.

“It was a good result, a good start and a good team performance,’’ new SA under-18 coach Tony Bamford said in a major understatement.

James Braidwood flies for SA against WA at Alberton Oval. Picture: Tait Schmaal

“I was impressed with our players’ ability to play four consistent quarters.

“I thought our ability to win one-on-one contests behind the ball was terrific and we were able to score off that, so the backs did a really good job.’’

Lukosius confirmed his status as a top pick — most clubs and player managers say he is the overriding No. 1 favourite at this stage of the season — with 14 marks and four goals, while he also handed out a couple of teammates.

Other top-10 contenders, Central District midfielder Jackson Hately and West Adelaide small forward/midfielder Izak Rankine were impressive while North Adelaide utility Connor Rozee showed flashes of brilliance.

Bamford knows just how talented his group, which plays the second match of its carnival against Vic Country on Sunday, is.

But he has been preaching a team-first philosophy to ensure they play as a team and not as individuals in order to produce their best football.

“They are exceptionally talented, we know all about that, but as we’ve spoken about as a group a lot of times, talent doesn’t necessarily work unless it works hard,’’ Bamford said.

“I was really pleased that against Western Australia the group brought the workrate to complement the talent that they have.

“That’s all we spoke about pre-game — that talent won’t get the job done but team-first actions and workrate will.’’

The proof was in the pudding as the Croweaters did not give the Sandgropers a look in to get their carnival off to a cracking start.

SA EYE-CATCHERS

Jack Lukosius

Key forward, Eagles

17 disposals, 14 marks, 4 goals for SA v WA in AFL under-18 championships.

The 195cm key forward confirmed his status as the favourite to be taken No. 1 at the draft by turning Alberton Oval into his playground against WA. He is not yet a massive pack-mark but he is a super-smart leader who reads the ball well and has the pace to separate from his opponent. He also read the ball so well from the opposition that he was able to take some intercept marks. Bamford hailed Lukosius’ influence on the game, saying “When Jack Lukosius is marking the football it’s bad for the opposition’’.

Central's Jackson Hately puts pressure on Glenelg's Jesse White in the SANFL. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

Jackson Hately

Midfielder, Central District

28 disposals, 10 clearances, 6 tackles, 1 goal for SA v WA in AFL under-18 championships.

Hately’s star continues to rise with a standout first-up display at the under-18 championships. He wins the ball in traffic and on the outside and has emerged as one of the premier midfielders of his draft class. Has played league football all season and is in the discussion for this year’s best on-ball prospect with Victorians Sam Walsh and Bailey Smith.

Electrifying South Australian Izak Rankine leaves his Western Australian opponents in his wake during the Croweaters’ 89-point demolition job at Alberton Oval last week. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

Izak Rankine

Midfielder/forward, West Adelaide

13 disposals, 3 goals for West v Norwood in SANFL in round 10.

Explosive small forward/midfielder was up to his usual tricks at league level on the weekend, not winning an abundance of the footy but creating havoc with his blistering pace and some of his special qualities. Had six scoring shots, kicking 3.3, against the Redlegs, who are one of this season’s premiership favourites. Sadly, he let himself down with a couple of undisciplined acts late in the game, which has been a problem for Rankine and could hurt his draft stock.

Luke Valente

Midfielder, Norwood

26 disposals, 7 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal for SA v WA in AFL under-18 championships.

The SA captain — a head prefect at Rostrevor College and school captain — led by example for the Croweaters in their opening under-18 match with a huge game in the midfield. He was dominant with 26 disposals and seven clearances and is highly-respected by his teammates for the way he goes about his footy. He is a super-professional with the only question on him being his lack of pace, which could cost him a spot in the first round.

KEEP AN EYE ON

Ben Jarvis on his way to three goals for the SA under-18 side. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

Ben Jarvis

Forward, Norwood

Not one of the bigger names in the SA under-18 side but the 188cm versatile forward bobbed up with three goals and 17 disposals against WA in an impressive showing that was noted by his coach. “He did a great job for us,’’ said Bamford.

MATURE AGE WATCH

Matthew Panos

Norwood

Former Western Bulldog was brilliant in the Redlegs’ stunning comeback from 28 points behind early in the final term to beat West Adelaide by one point at Richmond on Saturday. Midfielder Panos, 27, had 31 disposals and kicked four second half goals in an inspirational performance. Perhaps he could have made it at as a big-bodied onballer — 191cm and 90kg — at the Dogs, where he spent three seasons from 2010-12 but played only six NAB Cup games, rather than be pigeonholed as a forward.

Josh Glenn

Norwood

Former Sun is relishing life at his new SANFL club after controversially walking out on Central District to join the Legs. He kicked a career-best eight goals in his first game against the Dogs in round eight and backed it up with four from 19 disposals against West on Saturday as he and Panos turned the game on its head in the final quarter. Still young enough for a second crack at the AFL at age 24, Glenn showed promise in five games for the Suns in 2015 but wasn’t committed to the demands of the AFL.

THE QUOTE

Izak is a good runner and you want to give him opportunities to do what he does best. If you get him in space one on one he’s generally going to outrun most people. Izak has a lot of good qualities in his game but his best asset is pure pace. If he gets the ball within 50 and he’s got a metre on his opponent he rarely gets caught. That ability to hit full pace so quickly is a phenomenal asset.

— West Adelaide coach Gavin Colville on the instructions he gives to Izak Rankine.

PLAYER COMPARISON

Jack Lukosius. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

Nick Riewoldt. Picture: Michael Klein

Jack Lukosius = Nick Riewoldt

PICTURE THIS

Connor Rozee, in the red helmet, playing cricket for East Torrens.

North Adelaide’s Connor Rozee after making a hundred for East Torrens’ under-14 cricket team against West Torrens in 2013.

BEST OF THE REST

Sam Walsh in action for the AFL Academy earlier this year. Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Media/Getty Images

Ben King

Tall utility, Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro

One of the best talls in this year’s draft began his under-18 national championships campaign in fine style, kicking five goals from eight shots and gathering 15 disposals in Vic Metro’s three-goal win against WA. The 202cm giant, who was thrown from defence into attack when his twin brother and fellow top-10 draft prospect Max went down with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in April, was impressive in the air and at ground level against the Sandgropers.

Sam Walsh

Midfielder, Geelong Falcons/Vic Country

One of Lukosius’s main rivals to be drafted at No. 1, Walsh was easily Vic Country’s best in its 23-point loss to the Allies at Spotless Stadium on Saturday. He had a game-high 31 disposals, six clearances and five tackles. Walsh is considered the best midfield prospect in this year’s pool, with a good mix of in and outside attributes. He is renowned for strong leadership qualities, explosiveness, endurance and work rate with the only knock on his game being his kicking. Has drawn comparisons to Collingwood star Adam Treloar.

SAY WHAT?

There’s some key forward talent in this year’s draft, generational type players is what they’re saying — one of them is Jack Lukosius from Adelaide. Many are saying he’s a Nick Riewoldt type that the Fremantle Dockers need to get into their team. I think it’s time for them to be aggressive and trade up to go after potentially the number one pick this year.

— former Fremantle star Paul Hasleby on Sportsday WA.

DRAFT ORDER

(After Round 12)

1. Carlton

2. Brisbane

3. St Kilda

4. Gold Coast.

5. W. Bulldogs

6. Fremantle

7. Essendon

8. Hawthorn

9. Adelaide

10. GWS

11. Port

12. North Melbourne

13. Collingwood

14. Adelaide (from Melbourne)

15. Geelong

16. Sydney

17. Richmond.

18. Gold Coast (from West Coast).

19. Adelaide (from Carlton)

20. Brisbane

The South Australian team warms up ahead of its clash against Western Australia at Alberton Oval. Picture: Tait Schmaal

WORTH WATCHING

South Australia will play its second match of the AFL under-18 championships against Vic Country at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, starting at 11am. It is the Croweaters’ last home game.