AFL Draft 2024: Finn O’Sullivan on Sam Walsh, Willem Drew and being the potential No. 1 pick

A tough onballer who hails from Koroit in western Victoria is being earmarked as the potential No. 1 draft pick this year — and he wouldn’t be the first in the family tree to achieve that feat.

Finn O'Sullivan won the Kevin Sheehan Medal at the under-16 national championships in 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Highly-rated midfielder Finn O’Sullivan says he just wants to be his “best self” as expectations grow that he could become the second No. 1 draft pick to come from his family tree.

A tough and hard-running midfielder from the small town of Koroit in western Victoria, O’Sullivan is the second-cousin of Carlton young gun Sam Walsh.

Walsh was the No. 1 draft pick in 2018 and has been both a source of inspiration and advice for O’Sullivan over recent years.

“He’s always been someone I can talk to if I need help and he’s definitely not shy to give his thoughts on it all,” O’Sullivan said of Walsh, who he last saw at a family reunion last year.

“He’s been through the programs that I’m going through now. It’s good to see how he’s taken on a leadership role at such a young age and he has just been exceptional. He’s just such a down-to-earth bloke, too.”

A natural ball-winning midfielder who can play inside or outside, O’Sullivan won the Kevin Sheehan Medal as the best player of the under-16 national championships in 2022 and went on to produce an eye-catching bottom-age year with the Oakleigh Chargers in the Coates Talent League last season.

He was also named on the bench in the under-18 boys All-Australian team last year after starring in three games of the national championships for Vic Country as a bottom-age player.

Vic Country’s Finn O’Sullivan (left) attempts to lay a tackle on Western Australia’s Cooper Moore during the under-16 national championships in 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

The 17-year-old is boarding at Xavier College this year, where he will complete his Year 12 studies.

He will play school football alongside games for the Chargers, the AFL Academy and Vic Country at the under-18 national championships.

“I feel I can be a bit of a versatile player,” O’Sullivan said.

“Seeing the draft, there’s a lot of midfielders.

“But for myself I think the fundamentals I do quite well, which I try and hold myself accountable for, and definitely my overhead ability.”

The town of Koroit – which had a population of just 2,184 people in 2021 – has been put on the map in recent years by Port Adelaide midfielder Willem Drew, who is another player that O’Sullivan looks up to.

“I think his footy talks for itself,” O’Sullivan said.

“Just the team player he is and just the accountability he has for his teammates is just second to none.”

Finn O’Sullivan is a second cousin of Carlton star Sam Walsh. Picture: Michael Klein

O’Sullivan trained with North Melbourne during pre-season as part of the AFL Academy program, working closely with players including last year’s No. 4 draft pick Zane Duursma.

While O’Sullivan has similarly been earmarked as a top selection this year and potential No. 1 pick, he’s happy to largely stay out of the spotlight and let his footy do the talking for now.

“I’ll definitely try and keep a low profile to that,” he said.

“I don’t think too much about it. I guess it’s out of my control. I don’t have much of a say in that. So I just try and do my best each week.

“I probably just aspire to be my best self I can be. Whether that’s getting drafted, not getting drafted, just being the best player and person I can be.”

Coates Talent League players underwent pre-season testing on Saturday, ahead of the competition’s kick off on March 23.

Originally published as AFL Draft 2024: Finn O’Sullivan on Sam Walsh, Willem Drew and being the potential No. 1 pick