AFL News: The draftees ready to play at AFL level in 2023
Who could debut for your club in round 1 next year? See the new draftees ready to make an immediate impact – and play a key role for KFC SuperCoach teams.
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New draftees across the country are just beginning to get stuck into their first pre-seasons at AFL level.
While some draftees will need some time to develop, others are capable of playing senior football early next year.
Here are 10 of this year’s draftees who look capable of making an immediate impact for their new clubs in 2023.
1. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions, pick 2)
He was not quite at Nick Daicos levels of 2021, but Ashcroft sits comfortably as the early Rising Star favourite for next year. A good-sized onballer, the oldest son of three-time Lions premiership player Marcus did it all this year. Not only did Ashcroft dominate underage football, but he also stepped up and played three VFL games against men for the Lions. From those three matches, the 18-year-old averaged 29.3 disposals, five clearances, 8.7 score involvements and 7.3 tackles. Brisbane is a good side but expect the Lions to find a spot in their best 22 for Ashcroft early in the year. Coach Chris Fagan suggested before the draft that Ashcroft would have been in line for a senior game this year had he been available.
Rising Star odds: $4
2. Reuben Ginbey (West Coast, pick 9)
A draft bolter this year, the West Australian looks capable of playing some early senior football for the Eagles next season. A big-bodied inside midfielder who can also be deployed across half-back, Ginbey measures 189cm and is a solid 85kg. Hailing from West Perth, he impressed across four games for Western Australia at the under-18 national championships and also featured in four senior WAFL games. In the last of those games against West Perth, Ginbey racked up 15 disposals, 10 contested possessions, five clearances and nine groundball gets.
Rising Star odds: $13
3. Josh Weddle (Hawthorn, pick 18)
As far as the talls go from this year’s draft, Weddle looks the most ready to make an immediate impact. While the Oakleigh Chargers defender did not play any VFL football this year, he boasts an outstanding athletic profile and a level of physicality and competitiveness that will allow him to make the leap to the AFL. Measuring 191cm and weighing in at 87kg, Weddle came with a bullet in the second half of the season and the Hawks executed a live trade with Sydney to secure him late in the first round of the national draft. Weddle is slightly undersized for a key defender, but has all the tools to be able to play on taller opponents.
Rising Star odds: $34
4. Elijah Hewett (West Coast, pick 14)
A powerful midfielder, the West Australian is not much of a footy supporter but comes from a family of Eagles fans who will be cheering him on next year. Hewett looks ready-made for the top level and is a solid size at 185cm and 84kg. He has good speed and ball-winning ability and possesses a good balance between his inside and outside game. The Swan Districts product has already shown it he can match it with the men, playing nine senior WAFL games this year and averaging 13.8 disposals. He also caught the eye in the under-18 national championships, where he averaged 19.5 disposals and 4.5 tackles across four games for his state.
Rising Star odds: $26
5. Elijah Tsatas (Essendon, pick 5)
A genuine speedster with line-breaking and ball-winning abilities, Tsatas models his game on GWS midfielder Josh Kelly. He looks to be an outside midfielder for now and might start on a wing at AFL level, but recruiters see him as a player who could become an inside midfielder when he adds some more size to his body. Injuries this year – namely a persistent foot complaint – limited Tsatas to one match of the under-18 national championships for Vic Metro. However, if he can get his body right the 18-year-old could put his wheels on show at the top level in 2023.
Rising Star odds: $10
6. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne, pick 4)
A midfield animal, Wardlaw already showed this year that he can compete against men. The AFL Academy member was named best afield for the Australian under-18 side in its exhibition match against Collingwood’s VFL side back in May, catching the eye with 18 disposals that day. The tough-nut models himself on Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver, who was himself a top-five pick who managed to play 13 games in his debut season in 2016. The only question mark on Wardlaw’s ability to impact next season is his body. The 18-year-old suffered a series of hamstring injuries which sidelined him for a large chunk of this year.
Rising Star odds: $11
7. Harry Sheezel (North Melbourne, pick 3)
A serious talent, the crafty forward has what it takes to kick some goals at AFL level next year. Sheezel models his game on Greater Western Sydney forward Toby Greene and while he does not have the same physical size just yet, he does show similar footy smarts at the attacking end of the ground. If he gets in a strong pre-season, Sheezel looks capable of having a similar impact to what Adelaide’s Josh Rachele did on debut this year. Across four under-18 national championships matches for Vic Metro, the Sandringham Dragons livewire averaged 14.5 disposals and kicked eight goals.
Rising Star odds: $11
8. Jhye Clark (Geelong, pick 8)
Some recruited referred to Clark as ‘Jhye Selwood’, in reference to his similar traits to recently-retired Geelong champion Joel Selwood. A midfielder who is as tough and as brave as they come, Clark showed enough this year to suggest he could quickly make the step up to AFL level. The Cats traditionally make draftees do their apprenticeship in the VFL and it would be tough for any teenager to crack into a premiership side, but you wouldn’t put anything past Clark. The Vic Country captain this year, he starred in the under-18 national championships and was also one of the standouts for Australia’s under-18 team in its match against Collingwood’s VFL side in May.
Rising Star odds: $15
9. Oliver Hollands (Carlton, pick 11)
The Blues went on the hunt for outside run during the trade and draft period and Hollands is a player who could provide plenty of that right away. He was rated the best runner in this year’s draft and has already impressed during his first training sessions on the track at Princes Park. The younger brother of Gold Coast’s Elijah, Hollands averaged 23.5 disposals and 6.5 marks across four matches of the under-18 national championships for Vic Country this year. He has modelled his game in recent years on a player who is now one of his teammates in Sam Walsh.
Rising Star odds: $19
10. Max Michalanney (Adelaide, pick 17)
Adelaide fans who are hanging out for a glimpse of father-son prospect Michalanney may well have their wish granted next year. The son of former Norwood champion Jim, the 18-year-old looks capable of playing some senior football for the Crows next season. A 192cm defender, Michalanney played some senior SANFL football for Norwood this year, including in the Redlegs’ semi and preliminary finals. He’s still got some work to do in his game but looks a promising prospect for Adelaide, which has not been afraid to give games to other young draftees in recent years.
Rising Star odds: $26
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