AFL Draft 2020: Top 12 prospects from Vic Country
With limited junior football played around the country this year, footy pedigree has never been more important. So which club will snap up the brother of a recent No.1 pick? Get the latest on some gun draft prospects.
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A big-bodied midfielder whose dad played for Richmond, the brother of a former No.1 draft pick, the brother of a Geelong rising star and an “AFL-ready” speedster likened to GWS star Zac Williams are among the top AFL Draft talent from country Victoria.
And did we mention the forward who kicked 119 goals in a season as an 11-year-old?
The state’s regions have a proud history of producing elite AFL talent from Luke Hodge to Dustin Martin and Sam Walsh. Who will be the next crop?
Here are the top 12 AFL draft prospects from Vic Country in 2020.
ELIJAH HOLLANDS (MURRAY BUSHRANGERS)
Midfielder/forward, 190cm, 84kg
The Bushrangers think Hollands is the most well-rounded player to come out of their system in at least seven years. He played primarily as a half-forward in the NAB League and in the Under-18 national championships for Vic Country last year, but had been expected to push into more of a big-bodied midfield role as a top-age talent this year.
A season-ending ACL injury at training in February scuttled those plans, but as it has turned out Hollands has not missed much given NAB League clubs and his school side Caulfield Grammar have not got on the park due to COVID-19 lockdowns in Victoria.
Hollands, whose father Ben played eight games for Richmond, played every game for Vic Country in last year’s national championships as a bottom-ager and is seen as an elite runner with serious top-end speed, a good decision maker and a player who is comfortable kicking on either side of his body. He was also unlucky not to win the best-on-ground medal in the Under-17s All Stars match at the MCG on AFL Grand Final day last year after logging 24 disposals, five clearances and two nice goals as captain of Team Brown.
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TANNER BRUHN (GEELONG FALCONS)
Midfielder, 182cm, 75kg
Some recruiters believe Bruhn has “got the most class” of any small-medium size midfielder in this year’s draft. Bruhn played only two games late last season for the Falcons, having been sidelined for much of the year with knee problems. He had further minor knee surgery in February, which was to delay his start to this season. However, the COVID-19 shutdowns meant he has not missed any more football than anyone else in 2020.
From his two NAB League games last year, Bruhn had averaged 17 disposals (12 contested), five clearances, 115 SuperCoach points and kicked three goals. He also played four NAB League games in his under-16 year in 2018, becoming just the second player since Luke Hodge to play under-18s for the Falcons while still qualifying for under-16s. The under-18s call up that year came after Bruhn had been named Vic Country’s MVP at the under-16 national championships.
One recruiter has likened Bruhn to Richmond captain Trent Cotchin given his “twinkle toes” and attack on the ball. And his sporting talents go beyond football, having also been a member of Victoria’s under-17 cricket team.
ZACH REID (GIPPSLAND POWER)
Defender, 202cm, 82kg
Recruiters are “pretty comfortable” with where Reid sits in this year’s draft, many believing he is firmly in the top 12. A key defender, Reid measured 202.5cm during pre-season testing and while he thinks he has now stopped growing, he has managed to add about 4kg to his sizeable frame to now sit around 86kg. Reid models his game on Brisbane defender Harris Andrews and has settled and thrived down back after playing a variety of roles during his junior football days.
He hails from good bloodlines, with his grandfather Peter McRae having played two seasons with Footscray in the 1950s. Reid is considered good above his head, has a big leap and good endurance. He averaged 11.1 disposals, 3.9 marks, 4.1 intercept possessions and 2.1 spoils across 15 NAB League games as a bottom-age player for the Power last season.
OLIVER HENRY (GEELONG FALCONS)
Forward, 187cm, 77kg
The brother of Geelong defender Jack Henry, there’s plenty to like about the younger Henry who is firmly on the radar of recruiters. Henry played primarily as a forward in his bottom-age season for the Falcons last year and shone brightly. In just his third NAB League game, he booted 5.3 from 11 disposals and seven marks against Dandenong, and he kicked 4.2 among nine score involvements in his next appearance against Sydney.
Henry is athletic, has real speed and power, jumps at the footy and has strong hands. Recruiters also see him as a versatile player who could play a role in defence, with his flexibility another big plus.
Henry finished last season having played 15 games for the Falcons, averaging 10 disposals, 4.4 marks, 1.2 goals and 3.5 score involvements. One recruiter said he would just like to see a little more consistency from Henry, but others believe the upside is sizeable and that will come.
SEAMUS MITCHELL (BENDIGO PIONEERS)
Midfielder, 182cm, 72kg
A former GWS development coach, Pioneers coach Damien Truslove has had plenty to do with AFL talent and thinks Mitchell is more than capable of playing AFL football right now. Likened to Giants star Zac Williams, Mitchell has speed to burn, a beautiful kick and strong game sense. He played just five NAB League games for the Pioneers last year, but has shown enough for AFL clubs to be clamouring for his services.
Every AFL club has already interviewed Mitchell, who played as a half-forward last year but is seen as a player who could become a damaging half-back like Williams at AFL level with his pace and ability to break lines.
Hailing from Robinvale on the Murray River, Mitchell was kept out of the Pioneers’ practice matches earlier this year but would have been ready to go in Round 1. From his five NAB League games last season he averaged 10.6 disposals, 22.4 marks, 1.8 tackles, 1.2 goals and 63 SuperCoach points.
ZAVIER MAHER (MURRAY BUSHRANGERS)
Midfielder, 184cm, 82kg
Maher played only six games in the back half of the NAB League season for the Bushrangers last year, but did not go unnoticed playing school football for Caulfield Grammar. He won the best-and-fairest at Caulfield and is an inside midfielder with great power, speed and strength.
A slight knee niggle meant Maher had a limited pre-season this year, but he was able to play two games of under-18s football for Shepparton United in late July and early August — games which some AFL recruiters made the trip to watch, and they liked what they saw. A member of the Bushrangers’ leadership group in 2020, Maher averaged 10.5 disposals (6.3 contested), 3.2 clearances, three tackles and 65 SuperCoach points for the Bushrangers last season.
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SAM BERRY (GIPPSLAND POWER)
Midfielder, 181cm, 81kg
As a 17-year-old last year, Berry could not have been much more impressive for Gippsland. He ranked as the equal-eighth rated bottom-age player in the NAB League in 2019, averaging 104 SuperCoach points across 10 games as a powerful inside midfielder.
Berry possesses strong endurance and work rate and rated above-average in the competition for contested possessions (9.8 a game) and elite for tackles (6.5 a game). He reads the ball well from a ruck situation, wins the hard ball and has clean hands at ground-level.
Berry lacks a little speed and his kicking needs a little bit of work, having recorded a below-average kicking efficiency of 48.5 per cent. However, recruiters remain very bullish about the Melbourne Grammar student’s prospects.
NICK STEVENS (GWV REBELS)
Defender, 191cm, 82kg
A medium-sized half-back flanker, Stevens has turned heads with plenty of draftable attributes. He’s a professional who is committed to his football and has good balance in his game of knowing when to attack and when to defend. Stevens is good above his head, has strong athletic traits including nice speed and makes good decisions with ball in hand.
A Geelong Grammar student who mixed his time between school football and NAB League last year, Stevens played six games for the Rebels averaging 14.3 disposals, 3.5 rebound 50s, two marks, five intercept possessions, 2.5 tackles and 72 SuperCoach points a game.
He played for Team Brown in the Under-17 All Stars game at the MCG on AFL Grand Final day last year and trained with Geelong over pre-season as part of the AFL Academy program.
JACK GINNIVAN (BENDIGO PIONEERS)
Midfielder/forward, 182cm, 76kg
AFL clubs have long tracked Ginnivan. It’s not every day an 11-year-old kicks 119 goals in a year of junior football, as Ginnivan did in 2014 with Newstead in the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football League. Ginnivan models his game on GWS forward Toby Greene and, while physically he still needs to put on some size, his goal sense, speed and agility is highly rated by recruiters. Versatility is also a strength for Ginnivan, who is seen as a player who could become a wingman, half-back or midfielder at AFL level after getting his fitness levels up to a high level.
Named a vice-captain of the Pioneers this year, Ginnivan played 12 NAB League games last season, averaging 16.1 disposals, 2.6 inside-50s, 3.4 marks, 1.6 goals and 94 SuperCoach points a game.
JOSH TREACY (BENDIGO PIONEERS)
Forward, 193cm, 92kg
A co-captain on the Pioneers this year, Treacy has been described as “brutal” in the way he attacks the ball in the air. The tough key forward is a power athlete with strong hands and a good kick who leads by example on the field.
Treacy spent a week training with Essendon over pre-season as part of the AFL Academy program and played for Team Brown in the Under-17 All Stars game on AFL Grand Final Day last year. Last season Treacy played 15 NAB League games, averaging 12.8 disposals, 4.1 marks, 4.4 score involvements, 0.9 goals and 90 SuperCoach points to rate as the second-best bottom-age key forward in the competition behind Elijah Hollands.
CHARLIE HAM (GEELONG FALCONS)
Defender, 181cm, 74kg
The brother of Essendon midfielder Brayden Ham, the Falcons’ flyer is a defender for now but is seen as being a player who could quickly evolve into a genuine midfielder or wingman at AFL level in the future.
Ham has a defend-first mindset but has exciting attributes and takes the game on when he wins the ball back. A classy left-footer, he can break the lines with his speed off the backline and took major strides forward with his development last summer.
A shining light for the Falcons in two practice matches earlier this year, Ham had looked set for a bumper 2020 before COVID-19 lockdowns forced the NAB League season to be scrapped. However, recruiters still like Ham after a promising bottom-age year that saw him play nine games for the Falcons and average 7.2 disposals at 76.9 per cent efficiency, 1.8 rebound 50s, 2.6 intercept possessions and 1.3 tackles.
HENRY WALSH (GEELONG FALCONS)
Ruckman, 202cm, 86kg
The brother of Carlton midfielder and 2018 No.1 draft pick Sam Walsh, the development of the Falcons ruckman over the past 18 months has been particularly impressive. Walsh played 13 NAB League games for the Falcons last season, holding down a role as the club’s No. 1 ruckman in his bottom-age season. He averaged 7.6 disposals, 27.3 hitouts (5.4 to advantage), 2.8 clearances, three tackles and 59 SuperCoach points, and had been expected to continue his rapid improvement this year before the season was abandoned.
Walsh trained with Carlton and his brother for a week over pre-season as part of the AFL Academy program and also played in the Under-17 All-Stars game at the MCG on AFL Grand Final Day last year. He is viewed as a player whose follow-up work around the contest is particularly strong and who has a good kick for a big guy. Given his size and potential at the next level, recruiters are confident he will be selected in this year’s draft as a developing project player.
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Originally published as AFL Draft 2020: Top 12 prospects from Vic Country