Collingwood NGA player Reef McInnes eyed by AFL rivals ahead of draft
Collingwood is facing a battle to land one of its Next Generation Academy stars after his blistering sprint at the draft combine put rival clubs on alert.
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Rivals are analysing the intriguing athletic testing of Collingwood’s NGA recruit Reef McInnes after he peeled off the fastest 20m sprint time of any players across Australia.
McInnes is eligible for the Pies in their Oakleigh zone because his mother was born in the Philippines, with Collingwood already recruiting players of Fijian and Ghanaian heritage.
The 193cm inside midfielder could follow in the footsteps of Pies NGA recruits Isaac Quaynor and Atu Bosenavulagi, with predictions he could be selected around pick 15-25 in December’s national draft.
He played in a NAB League premiership with Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson last year for Oakleigh Chargers and will turn 18 on December 12, three days after the national draft.
But amid his slashing 2.80sec time for the 20m dash, he was also last in the 2km time trial so needs to work on his fitness.
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Collingwood would have to match a bid for McInnes so is under no obligation to recruit him but as an Academy pupil they will know how much of an upside he possesses.
Richmond father-son prospect Maurice Rioli Jr will conduct his state screening testing by himself at the end of the week after quarantining in Darwin in the past fortnight so he can head back to the Tiwi Islands.
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He will be tested by AFL staff on Friday or Saturday, with Rioli expected to declare his hand for Richmond a fortnight before the draft despite Fremantle having ties to him as well through father Maurice’s WAFL career.
AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan said on Tuesday the Pies had an enticing package in McInnes if they chose to draft him.
“He played well last year with Anderson in Rowell in that premiership side. We saw a 190cm kid grow again into a 193cm package who ran the fastest time of anyone in the combine.
“He is a fantastic athlete who is capable of playing as a tall midfielder or at half back or half forward and he has a December birth so he has a lot in his favour.
“We didn’t get to see how he unfolded in his 18th year and given his athleticism he is the prototype of the modern player.”
“He needs to work on his stamina but having showed some promise in the AFL futures games last year, everyone wanted to see how he unfolded in 15 games this year but we didn’t get to see it.”
Originally published as Collingwood NGA player Reef McInnes eyed by AFL rivals ahead of draft