Western Jets star Corey Ellis’ consistency elevates him into national draft contention

A HIGH-possession winner and powerful one-on-one mark, Western Jets midfielder Corey Ellis should find an AFL home when the draft is staged on November 27.

Western Jets midfielder Corey Ellis is one of the club's leading players who are expected to be drafted next month. His old club was the Keilor Blues. Picture: Richard Serong

SELDOM does Corey Ellis go missing.

A high-possession winner and powerful one-on-one mark, the Western Jets midfielder should find an AFL home when the draft is staged on November 27.

Ellis averaged 22 touches a game during the TAC Cup season and was not overawed when representing Vic Metro earlier this year, where he logged more than 15 possessions twice.

The quiet achiever made five appearances in the AFL Under-18 National Championships but a strained muscle in his knee scuppered his progress later in the tournament.

Ellis was also sidelined for the Jets elimination final loss and the draft combine because of a foot complaint.

“It’s getting better,” he said of the injury.

“I’ve still got to see a surgeon and get his opinion on what I have to do with it from here. That’s booked in for just after exams finish (on November 10).

“It was very disappointing with the injury and what I thought would be a one or two week injury to end up being about two months. It was a very disappointing way to end the season and it was really hard to watch them out there (in the finals).”

The 18-year-old is not one to bark instructions to teammates on the field and his efforts to improve in 2014 went beyond hunting the footy.

Ellis simply wanted to become more vocal, be a better leader and he said he made giant strides.

“I think that just came with confidence from making the Metro team and then feeling comfortable in the environment and with my game,” he said.

“Everything sort of came together and I think that showed towards the end of the year and I was starting to play better football.”

Ellis in action for Vic Metro during this year’s Under-18 National Championships. Picture: Colleen Petch

The former Keilor junior has been mentioned in first-round draft discussions for much of the year.

Given his consistency and neat foot skills, it appears unlikely Ellis will be overlooked.

Vic Metro coach David Flood opined Ellis “just lets his footy do the talking”.

“I thought it was pretty consistent,” Ellis said of his season.

“That’s what I wanted — I didn’t want big fluctuations between games with 10 possessions one game and 30 the next.”

Fluctuations are not tolerated in the cutthroat world of the AFL, but there is no shortage of interest in Ellis, who fielded questions from “about 10 clubs” during the combine.

“That was a great experience as well. Very full on and that’s what it’s going to be if I make it,” he said.

“Different clubs have different techniques of interviewing you. Some teams have the head coach sit in and others have only three or four recruiters. There were a few hard ones and some pretty relaxed ones.”

An Essendon supporter, Ellis has tried to model his game on Dyson Heppell.

“I think I play pretty similar to him and I love the way he goes about it,” he said.

The left-footer came through the Keilor program with Jayden Laverde, Paul Ahern and Damien Cavka, who are all likely to be snapped up. Ellis was not a standout early on, but has blossomed significantly in the past two years.

“It is a nervous time. You don’t know where you’re going or what’s going to happen,” he said. “It’s pretty good — I’ve had exams to take my mind off it really. But it’s very exciting as well.”