Five teenage Croweaters among the best in the land, says Champion Data
FIVE South Australians have been picked in Champion Data’s top 30 AFL draft prospects this year.
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FIVE South Australians have been picked in Champion Data’s top 30 AFL draft prospects this year.
In a strong indicator of the high-end quality of SA’s leading draft candidates, the AFL’s official number cruncher has named West Adelaide pair Aaron Francis and Riley Bonner, North Adelaide’s Ryan Burton, Central District’s Wayne Milera and Norwood’s Luke Partington as worthy of top 30 selection.
Champion calculated its best 30 teenage draft nominations from around the country and based its verdict purely on statistical performances in recent years, focusing heavily on the national under-18 championships.
Players who have not appeared at the national under-18 titles are not included.
Champion has formed its draft rankings completely on performance rather than potential.
It last year had key defender Jake Lever at No. 6 on its list but he slid to No. 14 at the national draft because of a knee injury which robbed him of his final year of junior football in 2014.
The Crows selected Lever late in the first round and believe they have a steal, with the 19-year-old enjoying a strong first year in the AFL, playing 12 games and looking like a 200-game player.
All-Australian utility Francis has been ranked as the leading Croweater at the draft and the sixth-best performed young player in the country.
Francis was a standout at the under-18 national carnival and played six strong games for the Bloods at league level while mixing his football with Prince Alfred College.
Roosters key forward Burton has been listed as the eighth-best prospect in the land, despite missing the entire 2015 season following an horrific leg injury last year.
The high-leaping Burton was a standout at last year’s national titles.
Half-back running machine and elite left-foot kick Bonner has been ranked as the third-best SA prospect and 19th overall while small forward/midfielder Milera is the 21st-ranked prospect.
Adelaide, which has two first-round selections (No’s 9 and 13) is understood to be super-keen on the gifted Bulldog at the draft.
Redlegs midfielder Partington — renowned as a super professional — is ranked as the 23rd-best prospect in the country.
SA high performance manager Brenton Phillips has backed Champion’s ratings, believing the quintet deserves to be ranked as the top five from SA.
The draft will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre next Tuesday.
THIRTY SOMETHINGS
Champion Data’s Top 30 draft prospects
1. Jacob Hopper
Midfielder, 18, 186cm, 82kg
North Ballarat/GWS Academy/NSW-ACT
2. Callum Mills
Midfielder, 18, 186cm, 80kg
North Shore/Sydney Swans Academy/NSW-ACT
3. Josh Schache
Key forward, 18, 199cm, 100kg
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
4. Jacob Weitering
Key defender, 17, 195cm, 93kg
Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country
5. Darcy Parish
Midfielder, 18, 181cm, 74kg
Geelong Falcons/Vic Country
6. Aaron Francis
Key defender/utility, 18, 191cm, 90kg
West Adelaide/SA.
7. Ben Keays
Midfielder, 18, 185cm, 83kg
Redlands/Brisbane Lions Academy/Queensland
8. Ryan Burton
Key forward, 18, 191cm, 90kg
North Adelaide/SA
9. Matthew Kennedy
Midfielder, 18, 187cm, 88kg
Collingullie/GWS Academy/NSW-ACT
10. Eric Hipwood
Key forward/defender, 18, 202cm, 84kg
Aspley/Brisbane Lions Academy/Queensland
11. Charlie Curnow
Key forward/midfielder, 18, 191cm, 95kg
Geelong Falcons/Vic Country
12. Rhys Mathieson
Midfielder, 18, 186cm, 82kg
Geelong Falcons/Vic Country
13. Jade Gresham
Midfielder/forward, 18, 178cm, 77kg
Northern Knights/Vic Metro
14. Sam Weideman
Key forward, 18, 196cm, 94kg
Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro
15. Kieran Lovell
Midfielder, 18, 174cm, 80kg
Kingston Tigers/Tasmania
16. Mitch Hibberd
Half-back/midfielder, 19, 191cm, 85kg
Clarence/Tasmania
17. Ryan Clarke
Midfielder, 18, 185cm, 84kg
Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro
18. Clayton Oliver
Midfielder, 18, 187cm, 86kg
Murray Bushrangers
19. Riley Bonner
Half-back, 18, 191cm, 85kg
West Adelaide/SA
20. Harley Balic
Midfielder/half-forward, 18, 187cm, 80kg
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
21. Wayne Milera
Half-forward/midfielder, 18, 185cm, 75kg
Central District/SA
22. Ben Crocker
Medium defender/forward, 18, 185cm, 81kg
Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro
23. Luke Partington
Midfielder, 18, 182cm, 75kg
Norwood/SA
24. Callum AhChee
Half-forward, 18, 182cm, 71kg
South Fremantle/WA
25. Darcy Tucker
Half-back, 18, 184cm, 80kg
North Ballarat/Vic Country
26. Daniel Rioli
Small forward, 18, 179cm, 65kg
North Ballarat Rebels, Northern Territory
27. Bailey Rice
Defender/midfielder, 18, 184cm, 81kg
Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country
28. Brayden Fiorini
Midfielder/defender, 18, 186cm, 75kg
Northern Knights/Vic Metro
29. Kieren Collins
Key defender, 17, 194cm, 100kg
Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country
30. Josh Dunkley
Midfielder, 18, 189cm, 86kg
Gippsland Power/Vic Country
Originally published as Five teenage Croweaters among the best in the land, says Champion Data
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