AFL draft: VFL JJ Liston Trophy winner Tom Gribble waits on AFL chance

The ball-finding Werribee star says he is confident he can step up to the level if he gets a call-up at the AFL drafts. He’s also talking up teammate Matthew Munro as a roughie.

Tom Gribble has just turned 25.

His age matches the number of votes he claimed to bolt off with this year’s VFL JJ Liston Trophy.

The Werribee midfielder averaged 30 disposals, 15 contested possessions, seven clearances, five tackles and five inside-50s per game.

He and Coburg’s Marcus Lentini led the VFL disposals.

Gribble can find the ball, he runs like a king tide and he picked up his kicking this year.

But ahead of the AFL drafts his phone has stayed silent, and he’s not expecting it to ring any time soon.

“I get more realistic as the years go,’’ he was saying last Friday.

“I’m not getting any younger. I’m getting better. But I’m expecting I’ll be rolling around at Werribee next year.’’

Gribble’s name was absent in an article last week highlighting VFL prospects, bemusing his mate Jye Bolton, the two-time Sandover Medal champion in the WAFL.

“Is that a joke, how is Tom Gribble not in this?’’ he asked on social media.

Tom Gribble had a dominant VFL season for Werribee.

Gribble said that although he hadn’t been mentioned in draft dispatches, he was confident in his ability to go to another level.

“I definitely do think I’m worth a shout, but unfortunately it’s out of my control,’’ he said.

“You go out each week and you play against established AFL players, such as David Myers, and you more than hold your own.

“I think I could step up to the level. I think I’ve shown consistently that I can find the footy, whether that be inside or outside – there’s a bit of both there, I’m not just an inside bull or an outsider winger – and I think my understanding of the game, my footy smarts, helps me get the footy.

“I pride myself on my full-ground running, getting from contest to contest.’’

He said he had improved his kicking this year, as coach Mark “Choco’’ Williams challenged him to do.

“Not just to a satisfactory level, but a level where I was doing damage (he was in the top five in the VFL for scoring assists),’’ Gribble said.

Tom Gribble with his Liston Trophy.

Before Gribble, James Podsiadly and Ben Ross had been the most recent Werribee players to win the Liston.

Both went on to AFL lists as mature-age recruits.

“Who knows?’’ Gribble said when Podsiadly and Ross were mentioned.

“It took ‘Gibbo’ (Michael Gibbons) two Listons to get through, and he was dominant even in the year prior to his first Liston. It is what it is. Sometimes it’s more based on potential than actual on-field stuff.’’

Gibbons believes his club goes into the drafts with good prospects in young forward Jake Riccardi (who is increasingly being linked with Collingwood), Ryan Hebron, Bior Malual and Jack Henderson.

Werribee’s Matthew Munro.

He also thinks key defender Nick Coughlan and forward Matthew Munro are worth a look.

“He’s a freak … he’s quick, he’s strong, he applies absolutely incredible pressure. There’s a clear role for him in the AFL,’’ Gribble said of Munro.

“He’s a beauty. He should have been in the team of the year but that’s all right.’’