AFL mid-season draft: See who stood out when top prospects went head-to-head

A big-bodied ruckman, the brother of a Sydney Swans goalkicker and a trio of exciting key forwards have all put their hands up for selection in the AFL’s mid-season draft.

A big-bodied ruckman, the brother of a Sydney Swans goalkicker and a trio of exciting key forwards have all put their hands up for selection in the AFL’s mid-season draft after shining in an exhibition match on Saturday.

Forty-eight of Victoria’s top mid-season draft prospects put their talents on show in the Colgate Young Guns clash at Werribee, all having been nominated to take part by at least three AFL clubs.

Multiple club recruiters went to the match without a firm watch list but were instead waiting to see who stood up – and there were a few such players.

A 200cm and 104kg ruckman from the Eastern Ranges, Riley Smith was competitive in the ruck for Vic Metro throughout the day and also hit the scoreboard with a second-quarter goal.

The 20-year-old appears AFL-ready and is one of multiple ruckmen attracting mid-season draft interest alongside Ned Moyle, Felix Flockart and Max Heath.

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Samuel Paea is on the mid-season draft radar. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Will Papley, the brother of Sydney small forward Tom, had a mixed day for Vic Country.

A fellow small forward who also had a run through the midfield, Papley’s two shots on goal both fell short of the line.

However, the Gippsland Power product moves like his brother and looked dangerous whenever he was around the ball.

Despite wet conditions in the second half, key forwards also shone brightly in the match.

Standing 191cm, Marc Massarotti was particularly impressive for Vic Metro in the first half with two goals and showed an ability to mark the ball in the air but also impact at ground level.

Fellow Vic Metro forward Samuel Paea, who stands 194cm, was similarly strong in all facets of his game and also finished with two goals.

Bendigo Pioneers product Caleb Ernst was one of Vic Country’s best players, starting in the ruck before providing plenty as a forward.

The 194cm big man kicked two goals of his own while also unselfishly handing off what would have been an easy third major to a teammate during the third quarter.

After being sidelined with an ACL last year, Noah Gribble backed up a dominant start to the season in the NAB League for Geelong Falcons with a strong performance on a wing.

Western Bulldogs Next Generation Academy member Cody Raak was solid in defence in the first half before being swung forward to kick two goals in the second half.

Raak had played for Footscray’s VFL team the previous two weeks.

Gut-running midfielder Will Bravo, who trained at Hawthorn during pre-season, also caught the eye.

VIC METRO 14.13 (97) DEF. VIC COUNTRY 5.6 (36)

GOALS, METRO: White 2, Soylemez 2, Massarotti 2, Paea 2, Raak 2, Arundell, Riley, Smith, Hipwell. COUNTRY: Earnst 2, Mitchell, Gribble, Wareham

BEST, METRO: Massarotti, Paea, Smith, Hipwell, Raak, Preston. COUNTRY: Ernst, Gribble, El Nour, Conforti, Bravo, Papley

NAB AFL Academy ruckman Ned Moyle (right) was part of the Vic Metro squad. Picture: Michael Klein

52 PROSPECTS SET FOR MID-SEASON DRAFT AUDITION

The best and brightest mid-season draft prospects will have one of their final chances to impress AFL recruiters this weekend in an exhibition match showcasing Victoria’s best young talent.

The Colgate Young Guns game will feature the state’s best under-23 players that are eligible for the mid-season draft in a Metro v Country clash.

Of the 52 players selected in the initial squads for the match, 48 hail from NAB League teams while four are from VFL clubs.

NAB AFL Academy member Ned Moyle has been named as part of the Vic Metro squad and has emerged as a strong mid-season draft prospect.

A 205cm ruckman, Moyle caught the eye of recruiters with a competitive performance in last month’s Academy game against Geelong’s VFL team.

Another ruckman who has similarly attracted mid-season draft interest is 202cm Calder Cannons big man Liam Podhajski, who joins Moyle in the Vic Metro squad.

Eastern Ranges forward Corey Preston, who trained with the Western Bulldogs in search of a Supplementary Selection Period (SSP) list spot during pre-season, will also line up for Vic Metro.

Calder Cannons big man Liam Podhajski, right, will feature in Saturday’s game. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Western Bulldogs Academy members Ewan Macpherson and Cody Raak are on the same team.

The Vic Country squad features a pair of prospects who are brothers of current AFL players.

Charlie Ham — the brother of Essendon’s Brayden Ham — has made a strong start to the season for the Geelong Falcons after being overlooked in last year’s drafts.

Will Papley — the brother of Sydney’s Tom Papley — is a lively forward for Gippsland Power, where his brother also came through the ranks.

Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Will Bravo, who missed out on an SSP spot at Hawthorn over summer, is also part of the Vic Country squad.

The match will be played at Werribee Oval on Saturday from 2.40pm.

The AFL’s mid-season draft will be held on June 2.

VIC METRO

Player, Age, Height, Weight, NAB League/VFL Club

Jake Arundell, 18, 169cm, 65kg, Eastern Ranges

Harrison White, 19, 175cm, 70kg, Western Jets

Eren Soylemez, 19, 179cm, 82kg, Northern Knights

Ewan Macpherson, 19, 179cm, 82kg, Northern Knights

Tom Blamires, 18, 180cm, 76kg, Sandringham Dragons

Corey Preston, 18, 181cm, 77kg, Eastern Ranges

Darby Hipwell, 18, 182cm, 82kg, Sandringham Dragons

Harrison Keeling, 19, 183cm, 68kg, Eastern Ranges

Joel Trudgeon, 18, 185cm, 90kg, Northern Knights

Charlie McKay, 18, 186cm, 83kg, Sandringham Dragons

Lachlan Riley, 19, 186cm, 85kg, Sandringham Dragons

Dylan Thomas, 18, 187cm, 77kg, Oakleigh Chargers

Liam Conway, 19, 188cm, 87kg, Western Jets

Ben De Bolfo, 18, 188cm, 79kg, Northern Knights

Sam Clohesy, 18, 189cm, 72kg, Calder Cannons

Fraser Elliot, 18, 189cm, 88kg, Oakleigh Chargers

Luke Cleary, 19, 189cm, 80kg, Sandringham Dragons

Logan Young, 19, 190cm, 84kg, Sandringham Dragons

Marc Massarotti, 18, 191cm, 91kg, Eastern Ranges

Cody Raak, 18, 192cm, 80kg, Western Jets

Dominic Akuei, 18, 192cm, 76kg, Northern Knights

Samuel Paea, 18, 194cm, 94kg, Calder Cannons

Flynn Maguire, 19, 195cm, 82kg, Oakleigh Chargers

Riley Smith, 20, 200cm, 104kg, Eastern Ranges

Felix Flockart, 19, 202cm, 80kg, Sandringham Dragons

Liam Pohajski, 18, 202cm, 99kg, Calder Cannons

Ned Moyle, 19, 205cm, 87kg, Oakleigh Chargers

RELATED: THE WA YOUNG GUNS ENHANCING DRAFT CREDENTIALS

Northern Knights high-flyer Dominic Akuei is part of the Vic Metro squad. Picture: Valeriu. Campan

Noah Gribble and Charlie Ham will play for the Vic Country team. Picture: Michael Klein

VIC COUNTRY

Player, Age, Height, Weight, NAB League/VFL Club

Sam Conforti, 19, 173cm, 74kg, Bendigo Pioneers

Charlie Ham, 18, 180cm, 74kg, Geelong Falcons

Kobi George, 19, 182cm, 74kg, Dandenong Stingrays

Jack Hickman, 19, 177cm, 71kg, Bendigo Pioneers

Patrick Parnell, 19, 178cm, 60kg, Murray Bushrangers

Clayton Gay, 19, 183cm, 77kg, Dandenong Stingrays

Will Bravo, 19, 181cm, 77kg, Dandenong Stingrays

Marcous Herbert, 18, 181cm, 81kg, GWV Rebels

Flynn Young, 19, 181cm, 69kg, Geelong Falcons

Isaac Wareham, 19, 183cm, 81kg, Geelong VFL

Will Papley, 18, 178cm, 78kg, Gippsland Power

Noah Gribble, 18, 180cm, 79kg, Geelong Falcons

Charlie Byrne, 18, 184cm, 79kg, Murray Bushrangers

Sam Durham, 19, 190cm, 82kg, Richmond VFL

Cobi Maxted, 18, 188cm, 88kg, Bendigo Pioneers

Bryce Milford, 18, 195cm, 82kg, Dandenong Stingrays

Xavier Mitchell, 18, 191cm, 78kg, Bendigo Pioneers

Daniel Turner, 19, 191cm, 79kg, Murray Bushrangers

Ryan O’Keefe, 19, 192cm, 69kg, Bendigo Pioneers

Caleb Ernst, 18, 194cm, 91kg, Bendigo Pioneers

Mutaz El Nour, 19, 192cm, 83kg, Northern Bullants VFL

Jai Neal, 18, 192cm, 88kg, Dandenong Stingrays

Cameron McLeod, 18, 192cm, 78kg, Murray Bushrangers

Mason Hawkins, 19, 198cm, 82kg, Gippsland Power

Aaron Gundry, 20, 201cm, 91kg, Carlton VFL

Originally published as AFL mid-season draft: See who stood out when top prospects went head-to-head