Calder Cannons coach Sam Willett gives us the inside word on every player
Several Calder Cannons players loom as top AFL Draft prospects. Coach Sam Willett gives us the inside word on every one of his players for the 2024 season.
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The Coates Talent League season has arrived.
Calder Cannons has assembled a talented squad of young players that is expected to challenge come September.
The Cannons possess several AFL Draft prospects, led by the likes of AFL Academy inductee Harry O’Farrell and Vic Metro talents Nash King and Isaac Kako.
There are several more that are looking to push their claims with big seasons.
Calder coach Sam Willett takes us through every player on the list.
ADAM SWEID (Pascoe Vale)
Coming back from an ACL last year so we won’t see him playing for Calder but he’s doing his rehab with us. If all goes well we might get some games into him at local level later in the year.
ALEX ALESSIO (St Bernard’s)
Son of Stephen and Essendon father-son prospect. Late to football, a soccer background, plays predominantly ruck but has played forward in our practice games. One to watch this year, his athleticism is a standout.
ALISTAIR McQUIRE (Fitzroy)
A 191cm lead-up forward who provides really good connection. Played a few games last year but really impressed this pre-season and played really well in the (Western) Jets practice match.
ARDEN STEVENS (Aberfeldie)
A bottom-ager from Marby Sports College. A state triple jump champion and he came second this year. Very athletic, rebounding half-back or winger.
CAMERON PASCOE (Pascoe Vale)
Bottom-ager from Parade, a half-forward and mid. Clean above his head and a good kick.
COOPER HERBERT (Laurimar)
One of the guys that’s bolted (into the squad) and really impressed. A forward from Assumption that’s kicked a lot of goals at school but has also spent time in the midfield in the practice matches. At 190cm provides a bit of difference in the middle.
COOPER DUFF-TYTLER (Woodend-Hesket)
He’s one we don’t see heaps of, he plays in every basketball team you can think of. He’s actually trialling for Australia under-17s at the minute. We won’t see him until later in the year but did test really well. Moves really well at 200cm, a bit of a unicorn.
DAMON HOLLOW (Epping)
Our captain, really impressed with his leadership. His speed and contest-to-contest running and ability to kick goals and his ability above his head – he took Mark of the Year in local footy for Epping – makes him standout significantly.
DANIEL SHEPHERD (Fitzroy)
Second year, didn’t play in his bottom-age. Plays the wing role brilliantly. A really good aerobic runner, understands the role nicely, so if we’re playing well he’ll get his hands on the ball a lot.
DANTE IACOVONE (Strathmore)
A hybrid forward at 190cm, can play small or tall and a really difficult match-up for a defender. Has the ability to play wing and mid as well. Kicks the ball beautifully.
FELIX KNIEPP (Fitzroy)
Bottom-ager from Wesley College. He’s a really strong aerobic runner, kicks the ball really well, so we’ll look to start him on the wing but as he gets older will play backline and midfield once he builds his body.
FINN McAVOY (Maribyrnong Park)
Bottom-ager, 192cm, and one of our top-three runners. Has been playing wing in the practice games because his aerial ability, at the height he is and his running capacity, gives him a point of difference.
GUS PAPAL (Aberfeldie)
Top-aged but first time in the program. A key defender at 193cm, really strong aerially and has the ability to zone off his opponent – and does it quite naturally. Excited to see where he gets to in his first year in the pathway.
HAMISH CAINE (Whittlesea)
Top-aged but, again, new to the program. A ruckman, probably our most natural ruckman. He moves from contest to contest like a natural ruckman and has really strong tap work. An interesting prospect with not a heap of rucks floating around in Victoria.
HAMISH BIRD (Aberfeldie)
The only bottom-ager in our leadership group, captained our under-16s last year. Has been playing midfield and will play wing and half-forward as well. Really good ball user, clean below his knees, just a classy player.
HAMISH PEARCE (Strathmore)
Mid or half-forward. Really good above his head and kicks the ball really well. Looking for him to develop through the year as a bottom-ager.
HARRY O’FARRELL (Maribyrnong Park)
In the AFL Academy squad. A 196cm key defender, reads the ball really well in the air, takes intercept marks, kicks the ball really well and has really good athletic traits as well. Will also play as a key forward to showcase what he can do.
HARRY RYAN (Strathmore)
A hybrid forward, I use Bayley Fritsch as an example. Can jump as well as anyone, marks the ball brilliant above his head and took five or six contested marks (against Knights). A name people may not have heard of but will definitely hear as the year goes on because he’s a talent.
HARRY ALBON (Craigieburn)
Really explosive, powerful midfielder. He came joint top in our testing for the yo-yo and kicks the ball really well. Once he adapts to the speed of Coates Talent versus local he’ll be a real talent.
HUGH ALLISON (Strathmore)
A winger, left-footed beautiful kick of the ball. Understands the wing role really well so if we’re playing good footy he’s doing nicely.
HUSSEIN EL ACHKAR (Pascoe Vale)
He’s a Bachar Houli Academy kid. A bottom-ager but has really impressed. He’s come along massively since we returned from Christmas. Ran a really good 2km and was just about our best player against Jets and did some nice things against Knights.
ISAAC KAKO (Northern Saints)
Iraqi-born parents and Essendon NGA. I’m excited to see what he can do this year. Vic Metro and played in the Futures game on the MCG last year on Grand Final day. Can do it all, run, jump, turn his opponent inside out and has a step that gets him out of trouble. A selfless player and brings as many people into the game as he can.
JACK RYAN (Strathmore)
A top-age key defender, super athletic and reads the ball really well. Someone we could even throw onto a wing to showcase his athletic ability, which is exciting.
JACKSON BARBER (Aberfeldie)
Bottom-ager, first time in the program, but at 194cm is impressive. Has played key back in our practice games, marks the ball well and kicks the ball well for someone that size and is one to watch in the next 18 months as he develops.
JAYDEN NGUYEN (Aberfeldie)
Great story, Vietnamese-born parents. He’s Essendon NGA. Won our best-and-fairest as a bottom-ager last year on the wing. Will play behind the ball predominantly and use his elite speed and line-breaking. We’ll use him as much as possible.
JETT LAIDLER (Strathmore)
Bottom-aged. Plays midfield at local but has been playing half-forward for us in the practice matches and match sim. Gets up and down the ground really well and I think he’s one that will improve with a whole year in the system.
JOSH WHITFIELD (Essendon Doutta Stars)
Top-aged, 190cm, can play tall or small. Came in as a back but has potentially looked to move to a half-back, wing role. Kicks the ball really well and can run.
KAYNE ROUTLEY (Keilor)
Small forward pocket rocket. Will create something out of nothing and someone we’re really bullish on that maybe hasn’t been heard of outside our inner sanctum. He just knows how to kick goals and his skills are sublime.
KHALIL KAKOUR (Pascoe Vale)
Bachar Houli Academy player. Probably the shortest player on our list but took the biggest speccie of the pre-season, a monster hanger. Super fast, elite pressure, kicks the ball really well. Will play forward and maybe in the midfield.
KIERAN GALLAGHER (Westmeadows)
In our leadership group. Came from nowhere last year by all accounts and cemented himself in our squad. At 186cm can play tall or small, intercepts the ball and is an elite kick, so we’ll look to use him coming out of our back half.
LUCAS MOUSLEY (Gisborne Giants)
Lucas has our current time trial record for pre-season, running 6.09 I think. Has had a few injury setbacks since then but played against Knights. Clearly his aerobic capacity is superb and being a 16-year-old spending a year in the program is only going to develop.
LUKE PELOSI (Pascoe Vale)
A hybrid defender, I think as a bottom-ager he hasn’t got a ceiling with how well he can mark the ball above his head.
MAX COLLIER (South Melbourne Districts)
Travels all the way from Port Melbourne but a St Bernard’s boy. Was the second fastest 20m sprint, so elite speed, and will be used in the backline to break lines and showcased some strong overhead marking ability.
NASH KING (WALLAN)
One of our top prospects. Had a couple of injuries in the pre-season but saw him against opposition for the first time and he’s so strong and powerful. You think inside mids don’t kick the ball well but he kicks it beautifully. We’ll look to develop his forward craft as well.
NICK PAGE (Strathmore)
Top-ager coming into the system for the first time. A really strong mark. Came on in the third period (against Knights) and took eight or nine marks. Leads at the ball hard and clunks marks. A lead-up forward who will be important for us.
NOAH SCOTT (Pascoe Vale)
A midfielder from Parade who we’ve got (draft) aspirations for. Will play midfield but spend some time forward. Really powerful and a competitive beast.
NOAH CROWLEY (Craigieburn)
Bottom-ager who broke his leg in the first week of pre-season playing basketball, so has only just started training again. Being a 16-year-old at 195cm there’s plenty to like there.
OLIVER WATT (Woodend-Hesket)
Bottom-aged from Assumption. Runs really well and kicks the ball beautifully. Plays wing or midfield and has impressed.
OMAR ABOU-EID (Pascoe Vale)
A great story. He’s a 19-year-old but never been in Coates League football. Was 185cm about 18 months ago and now sits at 200cm, so has had a massive growth spurt. Plays like a midfield but plays in the ruck. Still learning the role but has as high a ceiling as anyone. Works in construction in the city and then travels out to Craigieburn.
PATRICK SAID (Sunbury Lions)
Was Vic Metro in the under-16s and one of our best runners. Took out the yo-yo for us at the Rookie Me testing. A midfielder who kicks the ball beautifully.
RILEY LEEDHAM (Gisborne Giants)
Top-ager who ran a 6.50 2km on the first day back this year. Being 195cm has transformed his running capacity. He’ll play as a key forward and with those stocks being a bit thin he’s one to watch.
RYAN EYRE (Castlemaine)
Brother Josh is at Collingwood. Ryan is a 19-year-old who’s played with us for the last two years and is at Essendon VFL as well. All the athletic traits and good above his head, so he’ll be one we use in the backline to get the ball moving and intercept as well.
RYAN BRODIE (Strathmore)
A 19-year-old and Essendon VFL. An elite kick so we’ll give him a licence to get the ball in his hands and use his weapons out of the back half.
TOM LEGUDI (ABERFELDIE)
Our 20m sprint champion and tested well across the board. Will play forward and through the midfield as well. Really good user of the ball.
TOM BARNETT (Maribyrnong Park)
Top-age key back who has really progressed his intercept marking this year. A strong one-on-one player who has added intercept-marking capacity and his kicking is coming along nicely.
TRISTAN LEEDS (Coburg Districts)
Unfortunately did his ACL in week one of pre-season but we’ve decided to keep him on to give him access to all our rehab facilities.
WILLEM HANEGRAAF (Strathmore)
A bottom-age half-forward or mid. Has good running capacity and uses the ball well. A big body for a bottom-ager.
ZACH McKENZIE (Gisborne Giants)
A key position back who’s tested really well with his jumping. Being a bottom-ager we’ll look to expose him to what Coates League football looks like.
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