Oakleigh Chargers quartet Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell, Dylan Williams and Trent Bianco shape as top draft picks in 2019
Fresh off producing a record AFL draft haul, Oakleigh Chargers coach Leigh Clarke has predicted the TAC Cup club could deliver as many as four first-round selections in 2019.
Local Footy
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Fresh off producing a record AFL draft haul, Oakleigh Chargers coach Leigh Clarke has predicted the TAC Cup club could deliver as many as four first-round selections in 2019.
Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell, Dylan Williams and Trent Bianco all shape as top picks next year after impressive campaigns as bottom-age players this season.
LOCAL FOOTY HQ: ALL THE PLAYER AND COACHING MOVES
VFL: COBURG OUTLINES RECRUITING PRIORITIES
EFL: THE BIG RULE CHANGES COMING TO LOCAL FOOTY
EFL: LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FIXTURE FOR 2019
TAC CUP: OAKLEIGH DELIVERS RECORD DRAFT HAUL
Rowell has already staked a claim as an early No.1 contender after winning best on ground honours in Oakleigh’s TAC Cup grand final loss.
A few of our Chargers in their new colours! #alwaysacharger pic.twitter.com/9boe24Igqi
— Oakleigh Chargers FC (@OakleighCharger) November 24, 2018
He was also adjudged best afield in the under-17 All Stars curtain-raiser to the AFL grand final.
Lively forward Williams kicked 26 goals, including 14 in the finals series, from 16 games to finish fifth on the competition’s leading goalkickers table.
“You don’t want to start forecasting too far ahead but at least two — Rowell and Williams — they being talked about going right at the top,” Clarke said.
“They’re certainly talent and characters we’ll enjoy working with next year.”
Anderson’s father, Dean, played in Hawthorn’s 1989 and 1991 premiership sides but is ineligible as a father-son as his father only played 83 games at the Hawks, 17 short of qualifying for the rule.
Anderson also shone for Vic Metro against Western Australia in the under-18 national championships when he kicked four goals and collected 20 touches.
Bianco played 14 TAC Cup games this year and averaged 19 disposals in the TAC Cup finals.
Clarke said the quartet proved they were “above the standard” during the finals series.
“Trent Bianco to be able to come in and impact like he did in his defensive role,” he said.
“Anderson and Rowell, it’s more the same with them, but it is a high standard and some of the flair of Dylan Williams, clubs will be wanting to grab that pretty early I would have thought.”
Clarke said the club’s priority was to support the group on their journey to the AFL.
“Some of our top-end talent is some of the best top-end talent in the country so our initial investment is supporting them through that pathway,” he said.
“We fully understand there is going to be a lot of care for those top-end players because they certainly aren’t short of scrutiny and feedback.”
MORE LOCAL FOOTY
TAC CUP: CAMERON LING LOOKALIKE EMERGES AS EARLY NO.1 CHANCE
TAC CUP: AFL DRAFT HOPEFUL’S CANDID DIARY
NFL: CREEKERS HOPEFUL ON PAYNTER MOVE
Hill’s hopes to shortcut concussion protocols hits roadblock
AFL Victoria has revealed its verdict on a bid by one of local footy’s best players to avoid missing playing in a grand final by one day. Here’s what we know.
Grand final latest: Appeals, injuries and shock selections
There is no shortage of news in the lead-up to country footy grand finals with one club mounting a last-ditch attempt to have a star player available.