AFL Draft: Stars, surprises, ranking points from under-18 national championships
With the under-18 national championships over, all attention turns to November’s national draft. Here are the players who starred during the tournament, plus some surprises who lifted their standings.
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Club draft boards are beginning to be nutted out after the under-18 national championships wrapped up with a thriller last weekend.
These were each team’s stars and surprises from the tournament, plus SuperCoach ranking points.
ALLIES
THE STAR: LEO LOMBARD
The Gold Coast Suns Academy member was a joint winner of the Larke Medal as the best-performed player of the tournament.
A prolific ball-winning onballer who can also feature forward or back, Lombard works hard contest-to-contest, is incredibly clean with his hands and skills, brings great energy and can have an impact on the scoreboard.
He averaged 26.3 disposals, 4.8 clearances, 4.5 tackles and kicked four goals across his four games.
“He certainly caught the eye with his explosiveness and power and I think that’s his main weapon, is his ability to be able to break through traffic and get on to double-up possessions through his hard work,” Allies coach Mitch Hahn said of Lombard.
“He was able to win some clearances but more importantly was able to hit the scoreboard as well. He challenged the opposition defenders to say, well, if you don’t go with me, I can hurt you on the scoreboard. He’s going to be a really good prospect for the draft with those attributes that he’s got.”
THE SURPRISE: JOBE SHANAHAN
A 194cm forward who is mobile, presents well and can take a strong contested mark, Shanahan would have climbed up some draft boards with his performances during the championships.
His best game was his last against Vic Country, when he logged 16 disposals, nine marks (four contested) and kicked 3.1 for the Allies.
Shanahan has been a regular goalkicker for the Bendigo Pioneers in the Coates Talent League this season, but played for the Allies given he resides in Moama just over the New South Wales border.
“From a tall perspective, he was someone who just continued to build and get better as the program went along,” Hahn said of Shanahan.
“His marking ability and movement around the ground was something that really helped us in that last game against Vic Country, especially to be able to keep us as close as we were. His ability to be able to hit the scoreboard, to work out and bring others into it was important for us. He was a really solid contributor for us across the four games as well.”
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
THE STAR: BEN CAMPOREALE
Carlton fans have plenty to be excited about after father-son prospect Ben Camporeale produced an impressive under-18 national championships campaign for South Australia.
Camporeale was named the side’s MVP after averaging 26.8 disposals, 5.3 marks and 4.5 clearances across a very consistent four games.
The son of Blues premiership player Scott, Camporeale is clean in the contest, has a good balance between his inside and outside game, brings elite workrate and is creative going forward.
“He played as an inside mid for us in all four games. Totally different role,” South Australia coach Tony Bamford said.
“He was able to impact in contest and stoppage really, really well. Kicking’s still a work in progress in terms of his connection with forwards going inside 50, but most midfielders need to work on that. But his leadership, his contest, his energy and drive and his ability to set us up around the contest was really important as an inside mid.”
THE SURPRISE: CHARLIE NICHOLLS
He might not have been South Australia’s best or most consistent player of the championships, but Nicholls showed more than a few exciting glimpses.
A 197cm key forward who leads well and can take strong contested marks, Nicholls particularly impressed in the side’s second game against Vic Country when he racked up 11 disposals, nine marks (four contested) and kicked 1.3.
“He played as a key forward in the first three games and then we put him to a key back position for game four,” Bamford said.
“He runs great patterns. He was clearly a smart forward in terms of knowing where to go and when to go. He clearly likes to run. He’s getting up the ground and it gives him an ability to showcase his running power as opposed to staying deep.
“He’s really elevated himself this year and we’re really pleased for him. He’s a kid from the Barossa so he’s had to travel an hour and a half each way to get the training during the last three months. So he’s really committed.”
VIC COUNTRY
THE STAR: HARVEY LANGFORD
A powerful midfielder from the Dandenong Stingrays, Langford finished the tournament not only as Vic Country’s MVP but also as a joint winner of the Larke Medal.
A hardworking contest star, Langford also has a booming kick when he finds space on the outside and can take a strong mark.
He averaged 25.5 disposals, 6.3 clearances and 7.5 score involvements across his four games for Vic Country.
“He was superb from the first game against SA,” Vic Country coach Paul Corrigan said.
“He just carried that form through for us. He pretty much played the whole time in the middle. He was exceptional around stoppages and clearances.
“He also found a lot of ball on the outside, but also proved on the weekend he’s got that aerial prowess to go forward and mark the footy and hit the scoreboard as well. I just thought his whole campaign was super consistent and really impressive for us.”
THE SURPRISE: JOE BERRY
While he didn’t necessarily surprise after a strong start to the season with the Murray Bushrangers, Berry’s stocks did rise during the championships.
The clever 180cm forward from Wangaratta who can hurt opposition sides in multiple ways, Berry booted nine goals across his four matches during the tournament including a 14-disposal and three-goal game against Vic Metro last weekend.
“I thought his carnival as well was exceptional as a small forward,” Corrigan said.
“He’s just so lively. He’s one of those players that can play deep one-on-one, he can come up the ground. His defensive acts were really good. He’s got really good speed and power. He hits the scoreboard, too. The other thing that we liked about him too was we injected him through the midfield at times and he just gave us a different spark at times and that ability to change up what was in there.”
VIC METRO
THE STAR: MURPHY REID
All the buzz about Vic Metro’s midfield heading into the championships surrounded Josh Smillie, Levi Ashcroft and Jagga Smith.
However, it was Murphy Reid that upstaged that trio to take out the side’s MVP award.
The Sandringham Dragons midfielder was clean, composed and consistent across his four matches as he averaged 24.5 disposals, 7.3 score involvements and one goals.
“He’s a top-end talent in his own right,” Vic Metro coach Rob Harding said of Reid.
“The first game in the wet against the Allies, he was the cleanest player on the ground by a mile. He had 30-something and kicked three goals in one of the games (against South Australia). He just kept playing well consistently through this tournament. The thing I love about Murph is every time he gets challenged with another level, he meets it really quickly. He hasn’t found a level that has been too hard for him.”
THE SURPRISE: HARRY ARMSTRONG
If there’s one game where you want to star during the national championships, it is the clash between Vic Metro and Vic Country at Marvel Stadium which was attended by almost every recruiter in the land.
Harry Armstrong did just that.
A 195cm forward from the Sandringham Dragons, Armstrong put his strong contested marking ability and accurate goalkicking on show in a nine-disposal, five-mark and five-goal performance.
He also booted three goals in Vic Metro’s third match against South Australia.
“He’s played really good school football, but that’s at a lower level than Coates League or a national championship,” Harding said.
“He’s just adapted really well through the year. He keeps building and developing his game. I watched him on Sunday, strong hands, big, strong contested marks – which is the strength that he has – and he’s a beautiful set shot at goal. On a day when we weren’t kicking very straight, he’s the one that kicks five straight, and he gives us an opportunity to be in that game to win it.”
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
THE STAR: BO ALLAN
A standout top draft prospect from Western Australia, Allan missed the first game of the championships with a back injury but impressed with his power and speed through the midfield across the final three matches.
The side’s captain, the combative left-footer averaged 20 disposals, 3.7 clearances, 6.3 score involvements and six tackles.
He also booted two classy goals in the team’s third match against Vic Metro.
Allan – a Peel Thunder product who has also been part of the AFL Academy this year – had primarily played across halfback in previous years.
“He’s an absolute beauty, Bo,” WA talent manager Adam Jones said.
“Just his competitiveness and willingness to crack in and lead the way. There’s a huge amount of upside with him. He’s only played less than 10 games on ball in his career, so for him to battle out against the best in the country was great to see. He’s only going to get better and better.”
THE SURPRISE: JAXON ARTEMIS
A rebounding defender from South Fremantle, Artemis enhanced his draft prospects with a strong championships which led to him being named as Western Australia’s MVP.
The 180cm speedster averaged 15.5 disposals, 5.3 rebound 50s, 4.3 intercept possessions and 369 metres gained across his four matches, providing plenty of drive forward for his side.
“Through the winter program, he just got better and better each week,” Jones said.
“You could just see his confidence within himself growing and him going ‘I can play at this level’. His running and eagerness to get on the end of it just continued to grow. His skill and execution and awareness and composure with ball in hand is outstanding. Some guys that you hope can pop and he was one that did.”
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