AFL draft: League looks to December for national draft
The AFL has revealed when it plans to hold this year’s draft as the development of the class of 2020 becomes a hot topic, with new plans for a revised competition. Check out the top 25 prospects here.
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The AFL is targeting a December national draft and remains hopeful Victorian talent will get a chance to shine later this year.
The league on Tuesday officially cancelled the 2020 NAB League season, with the Victorian government’s decision to impose a State of Emergency on Sunday forcing its hand.
Players from country NAB League teams had been set to return to training on Monday ahead of the start of a planned mini season on August 22, but new restrictions across Victoria mean no community football training or competition can be held until at least September 13.
“We acknowledge this is extremely disappointing news for the players, coaches, officials, volunteers and fans of the NAB League competition and we commend every NAB League region that has worked tirelessly to find a way through,” AFL head of talent pathways Tristan Salter said.
“Every step of the way, our focus has been on the safety of players, coaches, volunteers, officials and our communities. Following the updated restrictions announced by the Victorian state government, it provided too great a challenge for all involved.”
The AFL is working to ensure opportunities will exist in 2021 for players who have been impacted this season through a revised talent pathways model.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE CHAMPION DATA’S TOP 25 2020 DRAFT PROSPECTS
The possibility of internal state-based games being played between Vic Metro and Vic Country in late September and early October is being explored if it becomes safe to do so.
“We maintain our commitment to all players that we will continue to explore arrangements to assist them with their talent profile,” Salter said.
The AFL national draft is traditionally held in late November but is expected to be pushed back.
Interstate, the SANFL under-18s competition completed Round 6 last weekend and the WAFL Colts competition played Round 3.
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However, AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan told News Corp last week the lack of football for Victorian talent could make things difficult for recruiters.
“It will be problematic with the boys around Melbourne but we just have to look at the bigger picture there around the health of our community,” Sheehan said.
“Normally recruiters have got a view of a player going into their 18th year, but things change in their 18th year. Some kids progress, some kids reach something like their ceiling and don’t continue at the rate you thought. So they’re going to be flying blind, a little.
“But through the great pathways they would have seen them in their 16th year and in their 17th year and they’ve seen them in practice matches earlier in the year.”
COUNTRY ROAD LEADS TO BIG TIME
AFL recruiters aren’t normally lurking in the grandstands at Queen Elizabeth Oval watching Bendigo Football League under-18s at this time of year.
Victoria’s best young AFL draft talent is normally found running around in the NAB League or playing private school football.
But over recent weeks there has been a mass migration of recruiters to the country, where this year’s hottest draftees are strutting their stuff in thirds competitions.
Last Saturday’s Round 1 under-18 game in Bendigo between Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye featured 10 Bendigo Pioneers’ listed players — and almost as many AFL recruiters were on hand to watch.
“I got told before the game that there was a few recruiters there so I was keen to play the best I could and help the team win,” Strathfieldsaye’s Jack Ginnivan said.
“With all the Pioneers boys playing it was pretty high standard, so it was on.”
A small forward who can also push into the midfield, the classy Ginnivan had been named vice-captain of the Pioneers this year and would have been in line to represent Vic Country at national championships as one of the hottest draft prospects entering 2020.
Last weekend, in late July, was instead the first game he had played in 10 months after the coronavirus pandemic took hold of Victoria a week before the NAB League season was to kick off.
“I was raring to go Round 1,” Ginnivan said.
“Then on the Thursday night (the week before) we got the call and it got cancelled and basically the whole season got cancelled. It was shattering.
“I hadn’t played for about 10 months until the last two weeks so it’s pretty weird getting back into it.
“With Covid, nobody thought anything of it at the start, but then it just basically shut down everything and I haven’t played a game with the Pioneers yet, but I’m pretty keen to get stuck into it.”
But more trouble struck this week. The Bendigo Football League’s under-age season was suspended on Thursday because of COVID-19 in another blow to draft hopefuls.
It’s a similar story in another corner of the state at Leongatha — the little country club that produced two AFL captains in Hawthorn’s Jarryd Roughead and Essendon’s Dyson Heppell.
One of the best key position players in this year’s draft pool — Zach Reid — was ready to attack the NAB League season with Gippsland Power when the rug was pulled out beneath him.
At times he feared whether he would not get a chance to play football this year at all.
“It did go through your mind with everything that was happening,” Reid said.
“Everything was always changing. I felt pretty confident that we were going to get back once that first wave dropped down but once the second wave came, those doubts come in again.”
Country NAB League teams are set to resume games on August 22 but, in the meantime, Reid has been lining up for the Leongatha Parrots in the Gippsland League under-18s — something his city counterparts have been unable to do.
“I’m just really happy to be playing football,” Reid said.
“Some of the boys in the same position as me looking to get drafted aren’t playing at the moment, so I’m really grateful for that.
“I’ve loved it and it’s been really fun, but I’m pretty keen to go to the next level and play some higher-level footy with Gippsland Power.”
BLESSING IN DISGUISE
Ginnivan didn’t get too down about his time away from football.
He instead tried to use it to better himself.
During pre-season testing, he measured 180cm and weighed in at 73kg.
Not only has he grown in height, but he also managed to add some significant weight in the gym.
“I’m a bit smaller than all the other kids, born in December, so for me it was just a massive opportunity to get a bit stronger, get a bit quicker, get a bit fitter,” Ginnivan said.
“So it was hard, but overall I think it was maybe a bit of a blessing in disguise. I’m big on everything happens for a reason.
“I’ve put on about 4kg and grown a couple of centimetres, which is good. I’m 183cm now and 78 or 79kg, so it’s been a pretty good time for me.”
Reid has not got out the tape measure.
Adding some more height was the least of his worries given he already stood 202.5cm tall during pre-season testing.
“I haven’t actually measured myself since then. But I feel like I’ve sort of stopped growing,” he said.
“But gym was a bit of a focus over the lockdown. I put on about 4kg so hopefully that sustains once we get into some real high-intensity training.”
OOZING TALENT
Like father, like son, his dad Craig had achieved the same feat at the same club twice — in 1984 and 1993.
“I kicked 119 goals that year,” Ginnivan said.
“So that was pretty cool when I was 11 years old.”
Now 17, he has not booted 100 goals in a season since but did snag 19 majors from 12 games for the Pioneers last season, while also averaging 4.9 score involvements a game as a forward who can pinch-hit in the midfield much like his idol — Greater Western Sydney’s Toby Greene.
“He is my favourite player by a mile,” Ginnivan said.
“So if I can model my game around him, I think that will help me go a long way.”
Reid also comes from good football bloodlines, with his grandfather Peter McRae having played two seasons with Footscray in the 1950s.
The 18-year-old models his game on Brisbane defender Harris Andrews, having happily settled down back after playing a variety of roles through his junior football.
“I just love the way he reads the game and jumps at the footy to spoil and mark,” Reid said.
“That’s what I try to do with my game.”
CHAMPION DATA TOP 25 DRAFT PROSPECTS
*in no particular order
FULL PLAYER PROFILES AVAILABLE HERE
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (OAKLEIGH CHARGERS/VIC COUNTRY)
Elijah Hollands (MURRAY BUSHRANGERS)
Denver Grainger-Barrass (SWAN DISTRICTS/WESTERN AUSTRALIA)
Braeden Campbell (SWANS ACADEMY/ALLIES)
Riley Thilthorpe (WEST ADELAIDE/SOUTH AUSTRALIA)
Luke Edwards (GLENELG/SOUTH AUSTRALIA)
Alex Davies (GOLD COAST ACADEMY/CAIRNS/QUEENSLAND)
Will Phillips (OAKLEIGH CHARGERS/VIC METRO)
Archie Perkins (SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS/VIC METRO)
Kaine Baldwin (GLENELG/SA)
Zac Dumesny (SOUTH ADELAIDE/SA)
Sam Berry (GIPPSLAND POWER/VIC COUNTRY)
Tanner Bruhn (GEELONG FALCONS/VIC COUNTRY)
Jackson Callow (NORTH LAUNCESTON/ALLIES)
Sam Collins (NORTH HOBART/ALLIES)
Oliver Davis (TASMANIA DEVILS/ALLIES)
Corey Durdin (CENTRAL DISTRICTS/SA)
Lachlan Jones (WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS/SA)
Jack Ginnivan (BENDIGO PIONEERS/VIC COUNTRY)
Errol Gulden (SYDNEY SWANS ACADEMY/ALLIES)
Logan McDonald (PERTH/WA)
Reef McInnes (OAKLEIGH CHARGERS/VIC METRO)
Nathan O’Driscoll (PERTH/WA)
Joel Jeffrey (WANDERERS/NT)
Zane Trew (SWAN DISTRICTS/WA)
Originally published as AFL draft: League looks to December for national draft