Dandenong Stingrays small forward Cody Weightman in Melbourne's sights

Melbourne missed out on Jamie Elliott when he re-signed with Collingwood but the Demons could snare the next best thing with small forward Cody Weightman in their sights after landing pick eight during the trade period. 

Cody Weightman has rocketed up the draft order.

IF you had said to Dandenong Stingrays coach Nick Cox at the start of the season that he had a potential All Australian small forward in his team, he would have agreed.

And he would have said it would be Ned Cahill, the cool and classy right-footer who played in the Rays’ 2018 premiership as a bottom-age player.

Cahill did have a decent time of it for Vic Country at this year's National Under 18 championships.

But it was teammate Cody Weightman who earned the All Australian tick.

Weightman kicked nine goals in his four matches for Country, including four against South Australia, and emerged from the titles with his reputation enhanced.

“He’s jumped up out of the ground, as they say,’’ Cox said of the Beaconsfield product and Haileybury College student.

MORE AFL DRAFT NEWS: 

AFL national draft 2019: The top 20 prospects and your club’s picks

Jay Rantall smashes 2km time trial record at 2019 AFL Draft Combine

Geelong Falcons captains impress in testing at AFL Draft combine

“The things we spoke to him about at the start of the year — looking after his body, preparing himself right — he listened to all of it and acted on it. Well deserved by the lad.’’

Weightman has been linked with Melbourne, which missed out on free agent Jamie Elliott when he re-signed with Collingwood. 

The Demons' desire to land a small forward has been widely reported and they gained pick 8 in this year's national draft in a swap with North Melbourne on Wednesday. 

In between his school football, Weightman played two games for the Stingrays last year and showed promise.

He also earned the nickname of “Dale’’ from assistant coach Rob Railton, but he didn’t know much about former Richmond great Dale “Flea’’ Weightman. This year his head is turning to “Flea’’.

Cody Weightman has rocketed up the draft order.

Like the ex-Tiger, Weightman is a little fellow with a lot of brilliance.

After his performance in the wet against Gippsland Power earlier in the season, Cox noted his “X-factor”.

“He still needs to work on his tackling and his pressure, but he’s almost the all-round package now,’’ the coach said.

“I think we dwell on weaknesses a fair bit but he’s got a lot of strengths. He can sit on heads and he can run away from blokes and can kick some really good goals. He’s got natural goal sense. He’s got really good energy. He runs the best yoyo at the club and he’s quite quick and he trains with intensity.’’

As a character, Weightman is much like he plays: he’s lively.

“Pretty confident, a joker,’’ Cox said.

AFL national recruiting manager Kevin Sheehan said of Weightman:

“He’s got some tricks, this kid. He’s got a wonderful, innate ability around goal. He finds the opening from all sorts of spots and he’s got a bit of Jamie Elliott about him because he can jump. He jumps early and hangs there a bit and he’s clean, strong above the head. You put that with his crumbing ability and he’s a very dangerous player.’’

Cody Weightman on the burst at the draft combine.

The announcement of this year's Under-18 All Australian team prompted three cheers from Shepley Oval.

Aside from Weightman being named on the bench, Stingrays captain Hayden Young slotted on to a half back and Sam De Koning at full back.

Young finished the carnival with an exceptional second half in the gripping grand final against WA and is shaping as a top-10 selection in the draft.

“I think he created excitement with the way he kicks the footy and opens up the game for his team to get into a position to have shots inside 50,’’ Cox said.

“He’s obviously going to get attention in the back half of the year. But he’s had attention on him since he was 15.’’

Young’s brother Lachlan is with the Western Bulldogs.

And 200cm De Koning’s brother Tom is at Carlton.

“Sammy’s come a long way this year,’’ Cox said. “He’s learned to get the percentages right from when he needs to punch and defend to when he can mark, and his positioning behind the footy is great.’’

Sheehan said De Koning got better as the championships went on.

“Over the four matches he grew with the experience of playing on the taller forwards at national level,’’ he said.

Sheehan said it was an outstanding effort from the Stingrays to produce three All Australian players.

“From one part of the world to get three boys in, that’s great recognition for the club and for a region that’s been such a prolific provider of great players,’’ he said.