Kicking on: Galaxy of stars emerges from the VFL
Here’s one certainty about the Victorian state league: it produces big-time players. And enough to make a strong AFL team. From Essendon’s Adam Saad in a back pocket to Collingwoods' Brody Mihocek up forward, this is a side to be reckoned with.
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AFL teams coming in from the NEAFL, other AFL sides dropping out, new alignments being formed …
Speculation persists about the future of the VFL, with clubs believing they’ll know more once the AFL sets out list sizes and salary and “soft’’ caps for the AFL clubs.
But here is one certainty about the state league: it continues to produce AFL players.
Almost 50 players drafted directly from the VFL players are on league lists this year.
Here’s an AFL team of former VFL-listers, from Adam Saad in a back pocket to Oscar McInerney on the interchange as a swapping ruckman.
BACKS
Adam Saad (Essendon): drafted to Gold Coast from Coburg, where his pace and long kicking grabbed eyes in 2014. “Fruit cake!’’ chirped former Casey general manager Brian Woodman as he watched Saad evade two tacklers, take off from the City Oval wing and spear the ball into Coburg’s forward line. Shared the Lions’ best and fairest and was named in the VFL team of the year in 2014.
Sam Collins (Gold Coast Guns): the desperate defender has been in the news after punching a pylon in the changerooms after his team’s loss to Richmond. Truth is, he’d probably run through a brick wall if it helped the Suns. The ex-Docker is making the most of his second chance in the AFL, which came after his outstanding, best and fairest-winning season for Werribee in 2018. Was first drafted from Box Hill Hawks, where he played in the 2014 and 2015 grand finals.
Luke Ryan (Fremantle): hard to believe he missed the cut for Essendon’s VFL squad in 2016. He took himself to Coburg and won the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal as the league’s most likely player, despite playing only 10 games because of a shoulder injury. “But they were 10 #^%*&! good games!’’ VFL ops manager John Hook roared at the time.
HALF BACKS
Tom Stewart (Geelong): Geelong drafted the composed and classy defender from its VFL team in 2016. All Australian selection in 2018 and 2019 reprised the year of the Cat for Stewart.
Dane Rampe (Sydney): the courageous left-footer has carved out an outstanding career as an AFL defender despite conceding height and weight to opponents most weeks. Spent 2010 and ‘11 with Williamstown before returning to NSW and getting his chance with the Swans in 2013.
Michael Hibberd (Melbourne): takes his place on the roll-call of VFL Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal winners, claiming the award in 2010. A few weeks later Essendon drafted him from Frankston, and he’s enjoyed an excellent career negating and creating off half back.
CENTRE
Isaac Smith (Hawthorn): anyone who saw Smith bolting up and down the wing for North Ballarat in 2010 knew he was ticketed for league football. The Roosters became a Hawk in 2011 and at 31 he’s past 200 AFL games and is a triple premiership player.
Ed Curnow (Carlton): rookie-listed by Adelaide but let go after 12 months, Curnow joined Box Hill Hawks and in his second season, 2010, snaffled the best and fairest and had a top-three finish in the JJ Liston Trophy. He’s given the Blues committed service since 2011.
Nic Newman (Carlton): won the 2014 Fothergill-Round-Mitchell and was taken as a rookie by the Swans in the same year. The left-hander will sit out the rest of this year with a knee injury.
HALF FORWARD LINE
Mitch Hannan (Melbourne): the Demons have always been willing to nab players from the VFL and they took Hannan from the Footscray VFL team in the national draft after some eye-catching games (think spectacular marks) from him in 2016.
Brody Mihocek (Collingwood): the former Tasmanian played at fullback in Port Melbourne’s 2017 premiership, but he’s made his reputation as a forward at Collingwood, presenting, competing and finishing. His switch of ends shouldn’t be a great surprise; he was the All Australian Under 18 centre half forward, and Port coach Gary Ayres sent him forward on occasion for good results.
Kane Lambert (Richmond): the 2013 Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal recipient played his way on to Richmond’s list with a slashing finals performance for Williamstown (whom he joined from the Northern Blues) in 2014. Lambert figured in the Tigers’ 2017 and ’19 flags and has played more than 100 games.
FORWARD LINE
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (Essendon): the dynamic little forward came out of Gippsland Power and had three years of finetuning his football as a VFL Don. Got his chance as a rookie and has taken it to 100 AFL games.
Ben Brown (North Melbourne): with his flying mop of hair the tall Tasmanian became a bit of a VFL cult figure when he joined Werribee as a raw and rangy forward prospect in 2013. He was at North the following year and is now approaching 300 goals in the AFL, a canny VFL pick-up from the Roos recruiters.
Bayley Fritsch (Melbourne): the left-footer won the 2017 Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal after a speedy rise through Casey’s ranks. Now a first-choice player for the Dees.
FOLLOWERS
Rowan Marshall (North Ballarat): There was a buzz about the big fellow when he was playing for the Roosters, leading to talk he would be taken in the 2016 national draft. He wound up as a rookie selection. And four years on he’s one of the best big men in the AFL.
Tom Atkins (Geelong): the Cats have done well out of their VFL program (which is why they’ll be doing everything to keep it in a changing VFL landscape). Atkins was captain and a best and fairest, and has made good progress in the AFL since being rookie-listed at the end of 2018.
Michael Gibbons (Carlton): for a while it appeared Williamstown’s two-time JJ Liston Trophy winner might be denied a chance at the highest level but the Blues stepped in a couple of months before the 2019 season. “Gibbo’’ has pretty much been in the side since, playing with increasing assurance and influence.
INTERCHANGE
Lachie Schultz (Fremantle): the pacy and perky Docker was one of four Williamstown players who made the jump from the VFL to the AFL in 2019. Still finding his bearings but his bits and pieces are coming together promisingly.
Kyle Hartigan (Adelaide): with no fuss or fanfare the dependable defender has reached 100 games for the Crows. It’s now almost eight years since he was drafted as a rookie for Werribee, where he spent three seasons.
Brett Bewley (Fremantle): the long-striding left-footer chipped away with Williamstown for five years before docking in the AFL in 2019. Held up his credentials with VFL team-of-the-year gongs in 2017 and 2018.
Robbie Fox (Sydney): another player drafted from Coburg, whom he joined after crossing from Tasmania. Picked up as a rookie at the end of the 2016 season and has given nothing less than his best for the Swannies.
Oscar McInerney (Brisbane): The Lions rookie-drafted “Big O’’ after he played only a handful of games for Casey. He’s now on 49 AFL matches and nearing first-picked status with Brissy.
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