Young Guns series in the works for VFL prospects
With the gate closed on this year’s VFL season, the AFL is looking at ways it can promote the state league’s mature-age draft hopes — and a “Young Guns” series is starting to take shape.
Victorian Football
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The VFL season is over without getting started, but a call has gone up for a “Young Guns’’ series to be held for its best prospects ahead of the AFL draft.
Williamstown assistant and development coach Brett Henderson was quick to make the suggestion after the AFL called off the season on Wednesday.
Although the AFL said there would be no VFL in 2020, it also said it would be “exploring opportunities that may provide mature age talent with exposure prior to the 2020 NAB AFL national draft’’.
It’s also in talks with VFLW clubs about the “Super Series’’ for players not listed with AFLW clubs.
The VFLW series is set down for September. AFL Victoria said it would continue to act in line with advice from the State Government and chief health officer about returning to train and play in a safe environment.
Henderson, a former coach of NAB League Under 18 club Bendigo Pioneers, said he was disappointed the VFL season wasn’t going ahead, but understood it would have been too difficult with Victoria in a coronavirus-crisis lockdown.
“We were dodging bullets all the way but unfortunately one of them got us in the end,’’ he said.
Henderson said he would like to see a Young Guns series involving players from the VFL and NAB League 19-year-olds.
“If we could get something up, it would be exciting, I reckon,’’ he said.
“It would be about giving opportunities to the boys who haven’t had the opportunities to be looked at this year.
“As we know, there’s a lot of talent in the VFL, and it would be great if we could give them a chance over a four-week period to put forward their draft chances.’’
Henderson said he believed there were 15 to 20 players on VFL lists who were capable of playing in the AFL.
“There could be more,’’ he said. “There’s guys like Nick Ebinger (Williamstown forward). He’s certainly draftable, and I think there’s an opportunity to get them into the system now and not wait another 12 months.’’
One AFL recruiter said this morning that Ebinger, Coburg small forward Sam Lowson and onballer Marcus Lentini, Frankston midfielder Will Fordham and Werribee’s Jack Henderson were good VFL prospects.
AFL Victoria staged three Young Guns game last year.
Western Bulldogs surprise package Laitham Vandermeer, Essendon dasher Brayden Ham and Sydney Swans big man Hayden McLean took part in the 2018 series.
An AFL Victoria spokesman said this morning the AFL was committed to “some form of competition’’ for the NAB League this year “but we’re really unsure at this stage because we need to work out post-restrictions what training looks like’’.
“There’s an opportunity to explore something similar for VFL-listed players, to showcase their talents ahead of the draft,’’ he said.
“It’s on the table and being considered now that we’ve moved past yesterday.’’
With no VFL being played a number of players is looking interstate.
Richmond pair Luke Nelson and Nathan Oakes have crossed to Lauderdale in Tasmania and Lowson is being courted by WAFL clubs.
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