AFL Draft 2022: This year’s top draft prospects answer the important questions
The top prospects in this year’s draft crop have revealed who they would take with the first pick — with at least one tipping a huge bolter as the best player in the pool.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
With the 2022 AFL National Draft just around the corner, we asked some of the top prospects all the important questions.
From who they model their games on to who should be the No. 1 draft pick and what is the toughest question an AFL club has asked them this year, here’s what they had to say.
GEORGE WARDLAW
Which AFL team do you support?
Essendon
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
A mix between Clayton Oliver and Tom Liberatore.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
My junior years playing with all my primary school mates. Footy wasn’t so serious back then, it was just a bit of fun.
Do you have a nickname?
Just ‘George’ or ‘Ward’.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
A club asked me if my house was on fire and I had to grab three items, what items would I grab. I think I just went with the classic ones like family photos.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
Elijah Tsatas.
Do you prefer English or maths?
English.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I’m looking into psychology careers at the moment.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
Paddington Bear is the best movie. It’s a classic.
Who is your favourite music artist?
Oasis.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
I ran into Patrick Cripps at Carlton when I went for an interview just after he won the Brownlow Medal, so that was awesome.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
I’d like to go to the UK.
ELIJAH TSATAS
Which AFL team do you support?
Richmond.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Chad Warner from Sydney.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Winning a flag in under-15s with my local club, Surrey Park.
Do you have a nickname?
Just ‘Lije’.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
I was asked what type of car I’d be by one club. I said a Ferrari.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
If not me, then I’d say George Wardlaw.
Do you prefer English or maths?
English.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I’m hoping to get into law.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
Suits. It’s a very good series.
Who is your favourite music artist?
Kendrick Lamar.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Probably Scott Pendlebury when I was training at Collingwood.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
Greece.
CAMERON MACKENZIE
Which AFL team do you support?
Hawthorn.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
I like Luke Parker and Callum Mills from Sydney, but I also like Christian Petracca from Melbourne.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Two premierships this year – with Sandringham in the NAB League and Brighton Grammar in school footy.
Do you have a nickname?
Nothing other than ‘Cam’.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
I got asked, ‘What’s your favourite app on your phone?’. I said YouTube and TikTok.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
Elijah Tsatas.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Maths.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I’m still not sure. Something to do with sport. Maybe management or sport psychology.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I enjoy watching Friends.
Who is your favourite music artist?
Eminem.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Jarryd Roughead.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
I want to go to America.
AARON CADMAN
Which AFL team do you support?
Richmond.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Jeremy Cameron from Geelong.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
This year playing for the GWV Rebels when we beat Gippsland Power in the NAB League. That was a big game coming in and big underdogs and I felt like it brought us a lot closer as a team.
Do you have a nickname?
‘Caddy’ or ‘Cads’.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
I got asked, ‘What makes you laugh?’ It was a bit weird. I said, ‘My mates and jokes, I guess’. It was a bit weird.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
George Wardlaw.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Maths, by a mile.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I’d be an electrician. I’ve been doing that for two years already.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
Bullet Train. I went to the cinemas and saw that and thought it was pretty good.
Who is your favourite music artist?
Drake.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Jeremy Cameron. I have to say him.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
Greece.
ALWYN DAVEY JNR
Which AFL team do you support?
Essendon.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
It would be a tie between Tyson Stengle and Izak Rankine.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Winning the under-18 national championships with Vic Metro this year.
Do you have a nickname?
‘Tadpole’. Dad’s nickname was ‘Frog’ and since I’m the junior, I get that.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
One asked ‘What’s your favourite food?’ I said a well-done steak.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
I can’t really split Elijah Tsatas and Aaron Cadman. They’ve both shown that they are ready for the AFL.
Do you prefer English or maths?
English.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I’d like to work for an indigenous service which helps indigenous kids succeed at school and helps to get them a job after school.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
Night at the Museum.
Who is your favourite music artist?
Chris Brown.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
I met Guy Sebastian when I was really young, so he is probably it.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
Maldives.
BAILEY HUMPHREY
Which AFL team do you support?
Geelong.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Patrick Cripps and a little bit of Christian Petracca.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Definitely playing at Marvel Stadium in the last Vic Country game of the under 18 national championships.
Do you have a nickname?
‘Humper’, which sort of just goes from Humphrey.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
I got asked what traits I would look for in a girlfriend. I just said, ‘Someone who is a good person and matches my energy’.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
Harry Sheezel or Aaron Cadman.
Do you prefer English or maths?
English.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I’d want to work in the mental health field.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I’m watching Animal Kingdom on Netflix at the moment.
Who is your favourite music artist?
Ziggy Alberts.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
I haven’t really met anyone famous. I’d probably say Sam Mitchell, who I just met before.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
Ibiza.
BRAYDEN GEORGE
Which AFL team do you support?
Richmond.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
I like to watch Jamie Elliott from Collingwood and Isaac Heeney from Sydney.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Playing a game with my brother for the first time in the under 18s when I was 14, at Gigarre Football Club.
Do you have a nickname?
When I moved to Wangaratta I was getting called ‘Sausage’ a fair bit, just because of the goals.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
I had one ask me, ‘If you could write your life as a book, what would it be chapter by chapter?’. It was something a bit different. I gave them about eight chapters and by the end of it they said, ‘This is a long book’.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
Jhye Clark. His inside game is probably on par with Ashcroft and his competitiveness is through the roof. He’s someone I look up to.
Do you prefer English or maths?
I’m a math man.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I want to do sports coaching or personal training or something like that.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I watched Outer Banks recently and it’s pretty good.
Who is your favourite music artist?
INXS.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Barry Sullivan from Wangaratta is a local legend. He’s pretty famous.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
I’ve always wanted to go to Bali and New Zealand.
WILL ASHCROFT
Which AFL team do you support?
Geelong.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Sam Walsh.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Probably this year winning the premiership with the Sandringham Dragons in the NAB League.
Do you have a nickname?
‘Ashy’.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
I haven’t had too many weird ones.
Do you prefer English or maths?
I’d say maths. English is pretty tough.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
Potentially business. Something to do with that.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I like Rick and Morty. That’s pretty fun to watch.
Who is your favourite music artist?
J. Cole.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Probably an AFL player. Gary Ablett.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
Los Angeles.
OLLIE HOLLANDS
Which AFL team do you support?
Carlton.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Sam Walsh.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
The game Vic Country played against South Australia at Thebarton Oval this year when Harley Reid took a mark with about 45 seconds to go and pretty much got us over the line.
Do you have a nickname?
I’ve got two. I’ve grown up with the nickname ‘Turtle’ from my local town in Albury-Wodonga and at school I get called ‘Dutchy’.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
I haven’t been asked this question but I’ve heard a few boys have been asked how to spell ‘Fujitsu’ backwards. I’m glad I haven’t had that but I think that’s pretty wacky.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
Aaron Cadman.
Do you prefer English or maths?
I think English.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I’m looking into studying psychology at uni, so potentially looking into sports psychology.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
TV show, it’s got to be The Simpsons.
Who is your favourite music artist?
Drake.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
I think Joel Selwood.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
I’d love to go to South Africa.
JHYE CLARK
Which AFL team do you support?
Collingwood.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Joel Selwood.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Playing my first senior footy game with my brother, with dad coaching at Queenscliff.
Do you have a nickname?
Just ‘Clarky’.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
I was asked to tell something that I haven’t told anyone else and I didn’t really have anything to say.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
Aaron Cadman.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Probably neither, but I’d go English.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
Maybe strength and conditioning coaching or sports management.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
Sons of Anarchy.
Who is your favourite music artist?
Drake.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
I saw Justin Bieber across the street when I was driving in Malibu once.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
The Maldives.
JASPA FLETCHER
Which AFL team do you support?
Brisbane Lions. That’s the one dad finished at so that’s the one that stuck with me.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Up at the Lions, Hugh McCluggage. But I also watched a lot of Sam Walsh all through his draft year so I like to take a lot from his game.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
That Australian day this year, playing for the AFL Academy against Collingwood’s VFL side. It was a crazy experience playing with some of the best kids in Australia who were ranked really highly in this draft.
Do you have a nickname?
They just call me ‘Fletch’. Pretty simple.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
I got asked to facilitate a conversation with someone that was sitting in the meeting for 90 seconds because they just wanted to understand my listening and my conversation skills. To start it all was quite awkward, but once I got into it was all right. My first question was how old he was and then I realised it was Daniel Wells so then we just started talking footy about when he took the ball out of the ruck and kicked that goal.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
There’s two that come to mind. Aaron Cadman’s had a good year but I think it’s hard to go past Jhye Clark. I’ve played on him and he’s tough to play against and a really great kid off the field.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Maths for sure.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I’m looking into the human movement side of things. I’m studying at uni. It’s something I’ve always been interested in. I’m at UQ at the moment and I’m studying exercise and nutrition science.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I watched Creed recently, the boxing one. That’s always a good one.
Who is your favourite music artist?
At the moment it’s The Weekend. I enjoy his songs.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
I did meet a Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach one time at a basketball tournament. He shook Le Bron’s hand one time so I shook his hand and didn’t wash my hand for a week.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
I’d love to go to America, but I think somewhere in Europe like Italy would be a dream.
LEWIS HAYES
Which AFL team do you support?
Collingwood.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Watching a lot of the Pies, I watch Darcy Moore and how athletic he is as a defender and how he can intercept and run and create play but also defend.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
In my Lysterfield junior days I played in six Grand Finals in a row and won three and lost three. That streak of Grand Finals was a pretty special period to remember.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
One club early on in the year asked ‘Who’s your favourite superhero character?’ I think I said Iron Man.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
George Wardlaw has heaps of talent and Aaron Cadman as well. They’re both two pretty good prospects and can tear games apart.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Definitely English. I try and stay away from maths.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
Down another sporting pathway, whether that’s playing another professional sport of doing sports management or recruiting or something like that.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
The Simpsons are always up there. I’ve been watching a lot of Stranger Things, too.
Who is your favourite music artist?
I like a lot of rappers – Polo G, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Sam Mitchell.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
I definitely want to travel through Europe. Ibiza would be pretty cool.
MATTHEW JEFFERSON
Which AFL team do you support?
Carlton.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Charlie Curnow and Aaron Naughton.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Winning the under-15 premiership at the Ashburton Redbacks.
Do you have a nickname?
‘MJ’ or ‘Jeffo’.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
They have asked me to rank the top-five in this year’s draft or who would you take with the first draft pick if you were a club.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
George Wardlaw or Elijah Tsatas.
Do you prefer English or maths?
I’ll go maths.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I’d probably go to university and do something to do with business.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I like the new Lord of the Rings show. That’s a pretty good show.
Who is your favourite music artist?
I don’t really have one. I just listen to a bit of everything.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
New York.
OLLI HOTTON
Which AFL team do you support?
I’m a Collingwood man, but I’m pretty much 50-50 at this point. I find myself going for Carlton half the time because my dad and Taj are both Carlton, so there’s a bit of a rivalry in the household.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Coming into this year, I don’t really think I had a player I modelled myself on. I just play to my strengths. Dad compares me a little bit to Luke Parker though, so we watch him a little bit sometimes. But I’ve also got a little bit of Connor Rozee with his burst speed and his blend between kicking goals and going through the midfield.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
The premierships this year were nice. But if I’m taking this year out, we were playing for Haileybury against Brighton Grammar in a school game last year and we were up by 30 points with 10 minutes to go and we ended up down by four points and one of my mates Jakob Anderson had a shot from 40m out on a pretty big angle and slotted it to win the game.
Do you have a nickname?
I just get ‘Hotts’, short for the last name.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
The most left-field question was, ‘What do you do Christmas morning?’ That was pretty random, I thought. I think it’s just to catch you off-guard a little bit, but I said we just get up, open the presents and have a bit of a sport round-robin with darts, ping pong, bocce.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
Harry Sheezel. His ability one-on-one and his goals per possession is pretty ridiculous. He’s just dangerous wherever he is on the ground.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Maths, 100 per cent. I dislike English.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
Hopefully similar footsteps to dad, in the Leading Teams area. I really enjoy the idea of being around sport.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
My favourite TV show of all-time is Prison Break. I’ve re-watched the whole series countless times.
Who is your favourite music artist?
My favourite right now would be Sleepy Hollow, an American rapper.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Joe Ingles, through my dad when he was working with the Boomers.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
California. I want to go for a surf somewhere in America and go watch some American sport.
HARRY SHEEZEL
Which AFL team do you support?
Hawthorn.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Toby Greene from GWS.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Winning the NAB League Grand Final this year with Sandringham.
Do you have a nickname?
‘Sheez’
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
One club said, ‘What is something that you wouldn’t want us asking you?’ That was pretty hard to come up with on the spot.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
George Wardlaw has the capacity to become as good as Will and if he did have full season this year he may have contended for that No. 1 spot. I’ve played against him since under-9s in the SMJFL and he’s a freak.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Maths.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I’m really interested in the business of sports management, which is something I’m probably going to study next year regardless of what happens.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
Fox Footy.
Who is your favourite music artist?
Post Malone.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Kobe Bryant. I was in LA and I was just walking on the street and I actually met him. I didn’t get a photo, though. Everyone says, ‘No evidence so no you didn’t’. But that was pretty cool.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
Scandinavia.
CHARLIE CLARKE
Which AFL team do you support?
Collingwood.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Toby Greene. I like to play like him. He’s very exciting, a lot of energy, good goal sense and I like to base my game off him.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Probably this year when I played in two grand finals in a week with Sandy Dragons, that was unreal and then we were playing at Marvel Stadium with Vic Metro.
Do you have a nickname?
‘Clarkey’.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
There hasn’t been too many weird ones.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
I think Harry Sheezel should be and then a close second Aaron Cadman. Sheezel is unbelievable, so I’ve got to back him in.
Do you prefer English or maths?
I’m not at school, I haven’t been for a while but I’d probably prefer maths.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
Probably stick with the carpentry, being a builder.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I’m currently watching the Jeff Dahmer series. That’s a bit full on, pretty intense but I’m liking that so far.
Who is your favourite music artist?
I like Aussie drill rap. I like Hooks from Sydney, he’s not the most popular but I like him, he’s my favourite.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
I’d like to go to Greece. It seems like a nice place to go. One of the islands, the Greek Islands – I don’t know what they’re called but they look good on Instagram.
MAX GRUZEWSKI
Which AFL team do you support?
North Melbourne.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Mainly Tom Stewart, sort of that intercepting halfback who uses the ball pretty well out of the backline.
Do you have a nickname?
I get ‘Grooze’ a bit.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
Probably the riskiest thing I’ve ever done, it’s a pretty tough question. I think I said snow skiing at the time, it’s a bit of a dangerous sport.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
I think it’s down to George Wardlaw or Elijah Tsatas, a couple of Oakleigh boys. They’re pretty good players and I think both are pretty deserving to go No.1.
Do you prefer English or maths?
I think maths. It’s more of a set answer rather than English where you sort of make it up and see what happens.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
I think sparky, become an electrician.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I’ve been watching a bit of Friends recently, don’t mind it.
Who is your favourite music artist?
I’m more of a genre man and I like the classic radio hits. Blake (Drury) and I sort of work on that together and we’re always telling us the good ones … I’ve been listening to Trainwreck by James Arthur, good tune.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Probably one of the tennis players when I was growing up, Sam Groth. He does a bit of TV now so he’d be up there. I actually saw him at courtside basketball seats at a Melbourne United game.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
I’ve always wanted to go to America to see what it’s like over there.
JASON GILLBEE
Which AFL team do you support?
Geelong. Dad’s always been a Geelong fan. I chopped and changed when I was younger, a bit of a bandwagon sort of boy. They’ve missed finals once during that time so I’ve been pretty lucky.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Those hard-running players who can run all day. I know Ed Langdon is a really talked about winger these days and Nik Cox’s ability to run and use the ball so I think sort of people like that who can run for long periods of time.
Do you have a nickname?
Just sort of ‘Jase’ or ‘Gillbs’ depending who it is.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
What would your Wikipedia page be, or something like that, and I was stunned. I don’t think I had an answer which is not really that weird to be honest but it stumped me. I dunno, hopefully a long career, I’d like to be a player who played at one club, I suppose I’d like to be known as someone like that, a pretty loyal person. Hopefully a long career and some success along the way.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
Probably a bit of bias but I’m going to say Aaron Cadman, a pretty good mate of mine. I reckon he is awesome to watch and he can sort of do it all so a very good chance.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Definitely maths. I can read but I forget what I read a couple of pages later.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
We’ve got a few family farms so maybe something like that. We’ve got sheep and cropping so we’ve got a fair bit of lamb back there — about 60,000 acres so run a few sheep and grow a few crops.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I’m watching Jeffrey Dahmer, it’s pretty weird to be honest but I don’t watch many shows. I just finished watching Farmer Wants a Wife which is just a reality TV show that I don’t mind but that’s about it. One day, who knows, I might go on it and get on the camera there.
Who is your favourite music artist?
I’m not a real big follower of music, I don’t really listen to any music at all. We’ll go country.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
There was someone from Home And Away once, she was one of the coppers off Home And Away. Not that many people being from back home (in Balranald).
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
One of my friends has just been over to Paris and all that so it was nice looking at all the photos so that would be pretty cool. We’ve been lucky enough to go over there before — because Mum’s Irish — so we used to go over to Ireland a fair bit. (She’s from) an hour south of Dublin in a little town Avoca.
COOPER VICKERY
Which AFL team do you support?
North Melbourne.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Hayden Young. A nice left foot and a rebounding defender so I like the way he goes about it.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Winning an under-14s junior flag with all my boys from my hometown was pretty good, in the East Gippsland League.
Do you have a nickname?
Just ‘Coops’ or Cooper.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
They’ve been pretty stock standard actually.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Maths. I’ve got a maths brain. I’m just better at it, can grasp the concepts better, English is just boring.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
Either a physio or teaching, still tossing up between the two.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
Modern Family has been on Disney + so I’ve been watching that. I love the show, one of my favourites.
Who is your favourite music artist?
I like country music. Morgan Wallen, I like his songs.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Probably Sam Mitchell when I did some Hawthorn stuff. I shook his hand so didn’t wash it for a couple of days and let the germs sink in.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
Somewhere tropical, I like the tropical water. The Maldives or somewhere like that.
HUGH BOND
Which AFL team do you support?
Geelong.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Tim Taranto. I try to base some of my things off that and take key parts out of his game.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Probably V-Line Cup four years ago, it was on my birthday and I got to captain it as well so I was pretty happy.
Do you have a nickname?
‘Bondy’. Pretty simple.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
Maybe Port Adelaide actually, they asked me what makes me laugh. I was kind of just shocked by it I dunno, (I said) a bit of banter and just being around my mates.
Excluding Will Ashcroft, who should be the first draft pick this year?
Not just because he’s on my team but I’d probably say Aaron Cadman. He’s had a breakout year, a pretty stellar year and he certainly brings a lot to the table.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Probably maths. I just feel like I’m better at maths than English, never been massive on spelling.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
Probably architecture or physio/sports science, but then also maybe even go back to rowing.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I love my Fast and Furious. I watched the other one the other day as I hadn’t seen it
Who is your favourite music artist?
That’s a hard one, I know every song but I can’t name one (artist). One Kiss by Dua Lipa — because in the boarding house the boys are loving it.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
I went to Buddy’s game when he kicked (the 1000th goal). I think I was like the fifth one to him — I was pretty lucky. Before he kicked it I was out on the oval. We didn’t think he was going to kick it but he did so that was special. Maybe Buddy then but I also met his sister after it so that was pretty cool.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
I reckon Greece would be pretty cool to go to. I’ve seen pictures and stuff and mum and dad have been there and they talk pretty highly of it.
HARRY ROWSTON
Which AFL team do you support?
Collingwood.
Which AFL player do you model your game on?
Isaac Heeney, someone who can win the ball who on the inside and also go forward and kick goals and take marks.
What is your favourite football memory as a player?
Probably at school this year (Assumption College) we’ve won back-to-back grand finals so that was pretty fun.
Do you have a nickname?
I get ‘Row’, or ‘Cow’. I got (Cow) when I went to school because my brother got it.
What is the weirdest question an AFL club has asked you this year and how did you answer it?
One club asked me what kind of coach I would be and how I would coach, it was a bit of a tough one and I didn’t really know how to answer it, but I said I’d try be caring and coach different players how they need to be coached.
Do you prefer English or maths?
Maths, hate English but I’m not too bad at maths.
If football doesn’t work out, what career path would you go down?
Probably building because I’ve already started a building apprenticeship, or back on the farm. We have a cropping farm – all your wheat, barley, those kind of things.
What is the best television show or movie that you have watched recently?
I reckon the one that has just come out on Netflix about old mate who was killing everyone … Jeff Dahmer, that’s the one. That’s pretty intense but it was a good watch.
Who is your favourite music artist?
Drake, I like Drake. Can’t really pick (a favourite song) but most of his music is pretty good.
Who is the most famous person that you have met?
Dion Prestia. My cousin is best mates with him so I’ve met him a few times which is pretty cool.
What is your dream overseas travel destination?
I’ve always liked Greece, it looks pretty cool. But obviously it will be a few years before I’m doing a bit of travel — I need a bit of money first.
More Coverage
Originally published as AFL Draft 2022: This year’s top draft prospects answer the important questions
Tragedy, triumph and the phone call that changed everything
Logan Evans started 2023 as a highly-rated draft prospect. But in the space of two months, his life was turned upside down. The teenager was then hit with another blow in November – before the phone rang.
How high-flying Warner is staying grounded
He might not look it on the field with his darting runs through the midfield, but on matchdays Chad Warner is the picture of calm. He’s staying grounded ahead of one of the biggest matches of his career.