AFL draft: The VFL players putting their hand up for selection
READY-made midfield runners, developing ruck prospects and proven goalkickers are among the top VFL prospects AFL clubs are looking at drafting. See who could be on your list next year.
Victorian Football
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AS AFL clubs prepare for the 2018 national draft, recruiters are not just eyeing off the top under 18s talent.
The VFL is ripe with ready-made midfield runners, developing ruck prospects and proven goakickers who could just be ready to take the next step to AFL level.
Here are 18 of the top VFL hopefuls looking to be picked up in this year’s draft.
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MICHAEL GIBBONS, 23, WILLIAMSTOWN
THE former Murray Bushranger has done it all in his four seasons in the VFL — a premiership (2015), a Norm Goss Medal as best-afield in the grand final (2015), a Frank Johnson Medal as best representative player (2016), two JJ Liston Trophies (2016, 2018), a Williamstown best and fairest (2018) and three team-of-the-year jumpers (2016-17-18). Finished the home-and-away season with 509 disposals (equal with Coburg’s Marcus Lentini) and No 1 for clearances.
And in August the great Paul Roos gave him some timely lift-off on Fox Footy’s On The Couch.
“The only real criticism of him is you can see he’s not big — he’s about 175cm — but just your classic kid that keeps getting the football over and over and over again,” Roos said. There is speculation around the VFL that Fremantle is particularly keen on the top Towner. Fingers and toes crossed for him.
NICK HIND, 22, ESSENDON
THE Essendon dasher provided one of the highlights of the finals series with his two-bounce run off half back against Richmond.
It set up James Stewart for the matchwinning goal and advertised his ability to ping across the ground (shown again with his 2.94 for the 20m at the state combine).
Hind came in second in the Dons’ best and fairest and was in the VFL team of the year. He’s re-signed for Essendon for 2019 — but all going well for him he’ll instead be on an AFL list.
MARTY HORE, 22, COLLINGWOOD
THE 190cm left-footer added the 2018 Maggies’ best and fairest to his 2017 award and also earned a second selection in the VFL team of the year.
His marking gets him high marks: he had 130 grabs in the home-and-away season, second only to Werribee’s Sam Collins, and the enduring image is of him floating in to make an aerial interception of an opposition attack.
Hore led the league for effective kicks, short kicks and rebound 50s.
He’s a star of the VFL — and one of its best draft hopes.
HAYDEN MCLEAN, 19, SANDRINGHAM
AT 196cm the former Sandringham Dragons captain is the most promising young big man in the VFL. The Zebras named him their best first-year player on the strength of his 13 matches, initially at centre half forward, but late in the season as an undersized ruckman. He was named in the best in his last four games. McLean has clamps for hands and his contested marking is his great asset. Melbourne, after letting go two young ruckmen, is said to be keen on him. Will train with St Kilda ahead of the drafts.
BRETT BEWLEY, 23, WILLIAMSTOWN
“HE’S coming big time,’’ Willy coach Andy Collins said of his long striding, long kicking leftie two years ago. He’s still coming.
In fact, Collins thought Bewley elevated his game to another level this year with his “inside’’ skills and his marking. It was enough for him to finish second in the best and fairest and gain selection in the VFL team of the year. Only Michael Gibbons, Marcus Lentini and Tom Gribble had more disposals than Bewley’s 471. And he tested well at the combine — 22.4 in the yo-yo, the best for the national and state tests, and 2.99 for the 20m.
CORY MACHAYA, 21, CASEY DEMONS
THE Narre Warren product joined Casey from the Dandenong Stingrays in 2016.
He scraped three games in his first two seasons but took off this year as a one-touch forward with sticky fingers and the ability to kick spectacular goals and take tremendous grabs. Machaya likes a tackle, too. The right-footer was called into the team in Round 12 and stayed there for the rest of the season, a three-goal effort in the wet against Geelong in the qualifying final his highlight.
Club GM Garry O’Sullivan notes Machaya’s “X factor’’ and likens him to Ahmed Saad.
WILL HAYES, 23, FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS
THE son of horse trainer David Hayes has been with the VFL Dogs for five seasons, playing 77 matches as a neat midfielder.
This year was his most consistent, settling fifth in the league for disposals and third for inside 50s (the Bulldogs like the ball in his hands when they’re going into attack).
He was crowned Footscray’s best and fairest, finished fifth in the JJ Liston Trophy, took team-of-the-year honours and went to the state combine.
It won’t be a surprise if the Bulldogs move him from their VFL to AFL list, just as they did with bouncing Billy Gowers last year.
BEN CAVARRA, 21, WILLIAMSTOWN
THE little left-footer has been thrown up as a draft hope ever since 2014 when he joined Frankston from the Eastern Ranges as a two-time best and fairest and Morrish Medal winner.
Since moving to Williamstown in 2017 he’s played more as a small forward and topped the Towners’ goalkicking with returns of 32 and 34 goals, enough for slots in VFL teams of the year. He bobbed up at the “Rookie Me’’ combine in October and did 2.88 for the 20m and 21.7 for the yo-yo.
JAKE AARTS, 24, RICHMOND
AARTS has been kicking around for a while — originally from Beaconsfield, he started in the VFL at Bendigo Gold under Aussie Jones, and was included in the 2014 AFL Victoria VFL Academy.
When the regional club folded Aarts joined Richmond, where he’s developed into a small forward who fights and scraps to keep the ball in scoring territory.
He hit the scoreboard in nine of his 16 matches this year and picked up an invitation to the state combine.
JACK CHARLESTON, 25, WILLIAMSTOWN
AFTER 118 matches, does the combative small defender’s career have a surprise kick in it? Maybe — word out of Willy is that a club is interested in Charleston, who with his dash, determination and dependability has earned great admiration among the Towner faithful and prompted one recruiter to call him the Rory Laird of the VFL. He was third in Willy’s best and fairest this year.
COREY RICH, 22, FRANKSTON
CROSSING from Sandringham, the hard-running 183cm forward emerged as one of Frankston’s best players in its comeback campaign, slotting 34 goals, including hauls of five against North Melbourne, six against Coburg and five against Richmond.
Also kicked a bag of six for City against Country in an AFL Victoria Young Guns game. “He’s very good at his craft, being able to hit up and get back at the footy and hurt you,’’ Country coach Scotty McDougal said later. “He hurts you with every touch. Good player. Speed and clean. He’s got the speed to get to the ball and he’s clean when he gets it. It gives him an extra half a second to do the right thing.’’ Rich was the sole Dolphin selected in the VFL team of the year.
COREY WAGNER, 21, CASEY DEMONS
DELISTED by North Melbourne after eight AFL matches, Wagner had an outstanding season for the Dees, excelling in the finals and winning the best and fairest.
He did it with relentless running and tackling (third most in the competition). Forty “clanger’’ kicks produce a query but the Casey coaching staff insist it’s not an issue. It won’t surprise if Melbourne takes another player from its VFL affiliate and it could well be Wagner.
TOM JOK, 21, COLLINGWOOD
JOK played at the Dandenong Stingrays and then St Kevin’s in the VAFA, figuring in its 2017 premiership. Joined the VFL Pies on their development list this year and was added to the main squad when Ryan Pendlebury took off for Port Melbourne.
In seven matches in the second half of the season he was named in the best three times, at 193cm showing his speed and athleticism on the wing, flanks and even in the ruck. Appeals as a rookie hope as he trains with St Kilda in the lead-up to the drafts.
LACHLAN SCHULTZ, 20, WILLIAMSTOWN
THE dynamic small forward gave Willy an excellent 2018 season, getting 10 mentions in the best and kicking 24 goals from his 20 matches.
Strong in the air and powerful and pacy on the ground, he won a few fans with his performance in the qualifying final against Richmond, which was televised by Channel 7 in the Saturday night slot.
Came out of the Bendigo Pioneers and was the Murray Football League’s Rising Star in 2015.
JAY LOCKHART, 23, CASEY DEMONS
THE tough Tasmanian could hardly have been more impressive in his first season in the VFL, playing every game for a strong Demons team and playing in a variety of positions despite standing 178cm (he was named on the interchange in the team of the year).
He’s a rugged right-footer — he dispenses no favours to opponents and asks for none — and is particularly strong overhead.
JESSE PALMER, 21, NORTHERN BLUES
THE former Port Adelaide player spent most of his first pre-season at the Blues recovering from shoulder surgery. But he put together a consistent year as a forward with good hands and speed. Palmer also zipped through the midfield at times. The VFL selectors named him at centre half forward in the team of the year. Blues coach Josh Fraser has talked up his “AFL traits’’, and he might have done enough to earn a second chance.
MARCUS LENTINI, 19, COBURG
THE first-year Lion and former Northern Knight quickly made his VFL reputation as a ball hog. He had 509 possessions and was No 1 for contested possessions and loose ball gets, and third for clearances.
Little wonder he shared Coburg’s best and fairest and was named in the VFL team of the year. Continues to work on his kicking but his ability to find the ball cannot be ignored.
ETHAN PHILLIPS, 19, PORT MELBOURNE
IN his first year in the VFL the tall defender caught the eye on occasions with his intercept marking and poise.
The ex-Oakleigh Charger played nine matches for the Borough and 11 more for St Kevin’s, including its grand final victory over Collegians.
He attended the state combine but another year or two playing under Gary Ayres and absorbing more responsibility would do him no harm.
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