Calder Cannons prepare for draft combines after NAB League semi-final exit
Despite a disappointing loss to end the NAB League season, eight Calder Cannons young guns are now preparing for October’s national and state draft combines.
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Calder Cannons’ season came to a sad end on Saturday but coach Ross Smith remains positive about the club’s draft stocks and future.
A 37-point defeat against Sandringham Dragons in the NAB League semi-final was a big improvement on last year’s wildcard round exit.
However the 8.7 (55) to 1.12 (18) scoreline is likely to stick in the players’ craw.
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“They touched us up earlier in the year and I think we kicked 1.12 in both games,” Smith said.
“It’s disappointing to go down but if you look at the season as a whole, we’re reasonably happy with how we went.
“From 1-3 at the start of the year, then we found our mojo and we won eight of the next 11, but more importantly we saw a number of players develop over the year.”
In a bizarre quirk, the Cannons kicked 1.12 in both their games against the Dragons, in the opening game of the season and then in their final game.
After an improved season, Calder will be looking to maximise its draft stocks with eight players attending pre-draft combines.
Key forward Harry Jones and midfielder Daniel Mott both earned invites to the AFL Draft national combine on October 1-4.
Curtis Brown, Francis Evans, Lachie Gollant, Brodie Newman, Jeremy O’Sullivan, Sam Ramsay and Nathan Stewart will all attend the state combine on October 3-4.
Mott and Ramsay were outstanding through midfield this season, both averaging 25 disposals, to sit fifth and sixth on disposal average in the league.
Newman was named in the back pocket of the NAB League Team of the Year while Ned Gentile finished third in the Morrish Medal after an outstanding season.
Smith said there was plenty of talent on offer ahead of November’s draft.
“We were really hopeful last year and we got four drafted last year, which was pleasing,” he said.
“Sandringham and Oakleigh will get the bulk of the kids drafted (this year) but if we get four, we’ll be stoked.
“The form of Sam Ramsay in the back half (of the season) was enormous, Daniel Mott found his mojo in the two finals, Jeremy O’Sullivan really improved.
“(Josh) Hotchkin came in when we needed some help in the ruck and he improved our clearance rate.”
Evans (Brunswick NOBS), Gollant (PEGS) and Stewart (Assumption College) only played six games after being brought in mid-season but still showed enough talent to earn combine invites.
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