TAC Cup 2018: Five Oakleigh Chargers players invited to the state combine

OAKLEIGH Chargers have five players off to October’s state combine, including a Sydney father-son chance and Collingwood NGA prospect. See who made the list.

YARRAWONGA junior James Jordon has lifted himself onto the AFL draft radar after just two TAC Cup games with the Oakleigh Chargers.

Jordon was one of five players from Warrawee Park invited to the state combine, joined by Joseph Ayton-Delaney, Collingwood NGA prospect Atu Bosenavualagi, small forward Jake Gaspar and Sydney father-son chance Kyle Dunkley.

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Jordon moved to Melbourne at the end of last year and has impressed in school football with Caulfield Grammar.

He also made his debut for Yarrawonga in the Ovens and Murray competition this season and has been listed in the best players in both his appearances for the Pigeons.

Oakleigh Chargers talent manager Craig Notman said the 17-year-old, who had also trialled at Murray Bushrangers and Sandringham Dragons, had developed since winning a place with the TAC Cup club.

“He’s certainly come along quite nicely in the past eight or nine months from where they (Murray Bushrangers) had seen him,” Notman said.

“Has great versatility, we’ve played him down back and through the midfield and I think you could push him forward.

“The thing we like about him, he has a really hard edge, he competes really strongly and looking forward to seeing more of him over the coming weeks.”

Rebounding defender Ayton-Delaney played three games for Vic Metro at the under-18 national championships earlier this year, and was considered unlucky to not get an invitation to the national combine.

“He’s got the ability to run and carry, he uses the ball very well, when they talk about yardage — the 70, 80m player — he kicks the ball well, covers the ground, takes the game on and he defends really well,” Notman said.

Blackburn junior Gasper has been a surprise packet in 2018, sitting third on the TAC Cup leading goalkickers table with 32 majors from 11 games.

“He plays that small forward role really well but he is also good above (his) head and because he has a great aerobic capacity, he’s also able to get up the ground and rack up some really good numbers and cover back towards goal,” Notman said.

“That ability to put on that really strong forward pressure is also something that really stands out in his game.”

Dunkley has had limited TAC Cup exposure this year because of injury and school football, with the remaining games to “paint a real picture” of his prospects.

Collingwood also continues to monitor Bosenavualagi’s progress.

“I still think he is a very raw product but he is an exciting product at the same time,” Notman said.

“His got talent to burn, he’s got pace, he’s a tackling machine, he’s a real competitor and he’s continuing to work on the skills side of things.”

The state combine will be held on October 5 at Etihad Stadium.