Williamstown coach names Towners trio and four other VFL players as AFL draft candidates
Williamstown sent Ben Cavarra, Lachie Schultz, Brett Bewley and Michael Gibbons on to AFL lists last year, and coach Andy Collins believes his club has more players ready to graduate to the highest level.
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Ben Cavarra went first, then Lachie Schultz and Brett Bewley as AFL clubs swooped on Williamstown Seagulls in last year’s national draft.
Three months later a fourth Towner was taken, two-time JJ Liston Trophy champion Michael Gibbons, who rose from the rookie list to play 21 AFL games for Carlton.
As recruiters weigh up ripening VFL talent for picking ahead of this year’s draft, they’re again turning their attention to Willy.
Coach Andy Collins says they won’t be disappointed, believing Joel Ottavi, Nick Ebinger and former Kangaroo Mitch Hibberd are Towners worth drafting this year.
Ebinger’s marking — he took nine grabs — was one of the highlights of the VFL grand final.
It set the seal on a tremendous finals series for the Williamstown CYMS product: he kicked four goals against the Footscray Bulldogs and four against Essendon. He was named Willy’s best player in the decider.
The 183cm forward played 13 VFL games this year for the Seagulls, whom he joined in 2016.
“A non-pathway kid who has taken a while to physically mature,’’ Collins said of Ebinger.
“He’s got a massive engine, can go up and down the ground, great hands, great kick, a raw talent and he’d really prosper in an AFL environment.
“He was playing D-grade amateurs under former Williamstown player Mat Montebello … it took him a little time because of the level he was coming from. But we’re excited about how far he can go.’’
Ottavi, 23, is from East Point in the Ballarat league and was on Essendon’s VFL list for two seasons before crossing to Williamstown this year.
He tested at the state combine this month.
“He reminds me of (St Kilda ruckman) Rowan Marshall at the same age,’’ Collins said.
“He shows absolute cracking signs of brilliance that very few athletes can do. Still a little inconsistent in regards to his performances but there are similarities with Rowan Marshall, both Ballarat boys, both 200cm boys, both really athletic. Joel’s testing for a 200cm boy … a sub-three second for 20m and then a really big engine … is really impressive.
“His best game this year was when Nick Meese didn’t play against the Northern Blues and Joel rucked against three guys — Matthew Lobbe, Andrew Phillips and Tom De Koning — and did an outstanding job.
“He also has a great ability to mark in the forward line.’’
Hibbert, delisted by the Kangaroos 12 months ago, played as an onballer for Willy and averaged 24.3 possessions.
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Collins called him “one of the most, if not the most, professional kid I’ve coached, and that’s saying a lot’’.
“His training methods, his self-discipline around his training methods, he’s got a real life balance — he can be a cheeky little larrikin at times — and playing as midfielder rather than a half back, he’s very much in the mould of a Sam Menegola,’’ he said.
“He surprised the hell out of me. He’s a tackling beast. He just loves to hit blokes, loves the physical element of the game, whether it’s the contest or the running capacity. He’s our highest GPS runner. He could make an impact (in the AFL) straight away.’’
Collins believes Port Melbourne half forward Tom “Junior’’ O’Sullivan and Werribee forward Jake Riccardi are other draft prospects.
He said O’Sullivan was “aggressive and dynamic’’.
“I really like him. If you put up a highlights reel of him, there’s some stuff there,’’ Collins said.
“I’ve spoken to ‘Ayresy’ (Borough coach Gary Ayres) about him. I said I thought he was really exciting and ‘Ayresy’ is the same.’’
Riccardi won this year’s Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal as the league’s most promising under-23 player, kicking 38 goals.
Collins said it was a significant achievement for a first-year player and Riccardi had made strong improvement under Mark “Choco’’ Williams.
Coburg small forward Sam Lowson was seen as a leading mid-season draft contender, only to injure his ankle.
Collins said Lowson had “enormous upside’’.
He believes Frankston best and fairest and former North Melbourne-lister Will Fordham is another player worthy of the attention of recruiters.