AFL Draft 2022: Who are the surprise prospects that could bolt up the rankings?
A son of a gun top 10 bolter and a smokey plucked from country footy are among a host of prospects who could surprise at the draft. See the names, and where they could go.
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We all love a draft bolter.
Some prospects have surged up draft boards later in the year after exceptional performances, while others fit a need that this draft is short on.
There’s the Wangaratta smokey, the athletic freak who has entered top-10 calculations and a mature-ager hoping for his third crack at the big time.
These are the 15 bolters and smokeys who can shake up the 2022 draft.
Ed Allan
Claremont/WA
Draft range: 7-15
He’s is the biggest bolter of this year’s draft and, depending on who you talk to, Allan might still be rising. The son of former Hawthorn and Fremantle player Ben, Allan is an athletic 194cm midfielder with serious wheels, recording the fastest 20m sprint time at the national combine. The talented teenager missed most of the year through injury, but highlighted his versatility as a midfielder in a strong finish to the season at WAFL Colts level. Allan might be more effective on the outside at the moment, but his potential as a tall, first-possession midfielder, who can breakaway, is obvious. His rise has been so steep that West Coast could pounce on the local product with one of its two selections in the top 12.
Tom McCallum
Key defender, Tasmania Devils/Allies
Draft range: 25-50
The lack of quality talls in the pool could see McCallum off the board inside the second round, which would have been out of the question before the national championships. A late inclusion in the first match for the Allies, the Tasmanian hauled in three intercept marks against South Australia – and it didn’t stop there. The 192cm key defender finished the championships with the second-most intercept marks, with the carnival elevating his draft standing. McCallum didn’t test at the combine through injury but his speed and endurance allows him to match up on a variety of opponents, with his reading of the play and strong overhead marking his major strengths. The Clarence product has attracted a lot of interest from clubs, including Carlton, Sydney and the Western Bulldogs.
Jaiden Magor
South Adelaide/SA
Draft range: 25-50
Magor is one of the x-factors of the draft and his brilliant best might just force an interested club to jump in the middle part of the draft. Earlier this year, Magor tallied 41 disposals, 21 contested possessions and two goals playing as a midfielder. Then, in the final two matches of the SANFL under-18 season, he booted 11 goals as a forward. In between is where the issue lies, however, with Magor struck down by injury after a two-goal first half in the under-18 championships carnival opener against the Allies, robbing him of any chance of showing how he stacks up against the best at national level. But the interest is there, so don’t be surprised to see Magor, who SA state coach Tony Bamford describes as an “exceptionally, naturally talented footballer”, pop up earlier than expected on the second night of the draft.
Kaleb Smith
East Fremantle/WA
Draft range: 25-50
The East Fremantle speedster underlined his athletic traits at the WA state combine, recording a 2.881sec 20m sprint, the sixth-fastest of any player tested across the country, and 8.052sec for the agility test, a time which ranked fifth in the land. On the field, the explosive 181cm prospect breaks lines and has risen up draft boards after a big finish to the year across half-back. But Smith, who averaged 24 disposals and nine intercepts in his final four WAFL Colts matches, has also been used as a goalkicking weapon further up the ground for Wesley College. His high-end traits have appealed to clubs.
Joe Richards
Forward, Wangaratta Magpies
Draft range: 30+
The smokey to end all smokeys. Richards’ rise from country footy in the Ovens and Murray League to second round draft contention in a matter of months has been astronomical – all off zero state league footy. If you watch his highlights tape (below), you can see why clubs are happy to take a punt on the mature-ager, who will celebrate his 23rd birthday just days before the draft. Richards has freakish goal sense, uses the ball well and takes the game on with his run. He received an eleventh-hour invite to the state combine and since then, interest has intensified. Collingwood premiership player Ben Reid, who coaches Richards at Wangaratta, expects Richards to go to another level in an AFL system and his former club, Port Adelaide, and grand finalists Sydney and Geelong are among his suitors.
Harvey Gallagher
Defender/forward, Bendigo Pioneers/Vic Country
Draft range:30-50
After missing out in both last year’s draft and the mid-season intake, a stunning finish to the season in the NAB League behind the ball has seen him surge back into draft calculations. So much so that he could be the first Pioneer taken on draft night. The 19-year-old amassed 33.2 disposals, 6.8 score involvements, 158.5 ranking points and kicked seven goals across six NAB League games in the role, with his elite work rate, vision and forward half impact catching the eye. The cherry on top of his over-age year was recording three top-five finishes at the state combine last month in the 2km time trial (equal fifth, 6:27), vertical jump (second nationally, 80cm) and running vertical jump (89cm). Thoroughly deserving of an AFL shot.
Nick Sadler
Sturt/SA
Draft range: 30+
A recruiter recently told News Corp they regard the Sturt junior as one of the best kicks in the draft pool, after the neat ball-user found targets by foot in even the most-difficult conditions this year. And it’s not his only appealing trait, with Sadler, who played senior footy in the SANFL this season, boasting a great combination of speed and endurance, versatility and the ability to hit the scoreboard. The goalkicking midfielder is always on the move and although he wasn’t able to test at the national combine, a club could pounce from the midpoint of the draft with a specific role in mind.
James Van Es
Key defender, GWV Rebels/Vic Country
Draft range: 30-50
Van Es has bolted in more ways than one, running the fourth-best time in the 20m sprint test (2.91 seconds) at the national combine along with finishing first in the running vertical jump (98cm) and equal first in the vertical jump (75cm). The key defender who has grown three centimetres this year, uses these athletic traits to great effect with his terrific closing speed, spring and reading of the play allowing him to negate his opponents by spoiling or intercepting. The dearth of talls in this year’s draft will see the Rebels prospect enter the equation in the 30s where St Kilda (pick 32) and Port Adelaide (33) have shown interest. Van Es led the NAB League for intercept possessions, averaging 7.8 per game, and while his kicking remains a work in progress, there’s plenty to like for clubs in the market for a key back.
Archie Lovelock
Glenelg/SA
Draft range: 40+
After a strong start for Glenelg and two goals in the national carnival clash against the Allies, there was already interest – mainly as a pure half-forward at the next level, with the 18-year-old drawing comparison to Brisbane’s Dayne Zorko. But Lovelock enhanced his draft standing further, with a huge performance to lead his side to a SANFL under-18 premiership, tallying 35 disposals, 12 contested possessions, 11 score involvements, seven tackles and 166 points against North Adelaide. He worked tirelessly to be involved in every corner of Adelaide Oval during Glenelg’s eight-point victory, proving he can stand up in the big moments.
Bailey Macdonald
Defender, Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro
Draft range: 40+
It’s been a rapid rise for Macdonald, making his NAB League debut mid-year after a hot start to the school footy season for Wesley College. The 182cm halfback has line-breaking speed off the mark, which is no surprise given he has competed in 100m, long jump and triple jump at a national level. A rush of late interest earned him a call-up for Vic Metro late in the year, where he had just the 10 touches, but his electrifying run certainly caught the eye. Macdonald is also a pinpoint kick, going at an elite 90 per kicking efficiency in his four games for the Chargers. Macdonald has definite upside as a later draft selection or rookie pick and the Western Bulldogs, Sydney, Hawthorn, St Kilda and Richmond are in the mix.
Ethan Phillips
Key defender, Port Melbourne
Draft range: 40+
The VFL’s best young player award has been a golden ticket into the AFL, and Phillips is set to become the 16th consecutive recipient of the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal to make it onto an AFL list. Phillips broke the VFL intercept possession record held by Sam Collins (2018), averaging a whopping 11.5 per game and his 5.1 intercept marks per game ranked second overall to Collins’ numbers. Interestingly, this season from Collins earnt him his second AFL shot with Gold Coast which he has taken with both hands. Borough coach Adam Skrabalak sees similarities in Collins and Sydney revelation Paddy McCartin in Phillips with his ability to read the play and clunk intercept marks. With tall defenders in short supply, the 23-year-old shapes as a ready-made option at the draft – and at least three clubs are in the hunt.
Jake Walker
Glenelg/SA
Draft range: 40+
The powerful Glenelg midfielder hasn’t had the spotlight of some of his fellow Croweaters, but he’s still certainly caught the eye of AFL recruiters, with Brisbane one of the clubs to show interest. Walker battled injury in his bottom-age season but he’s pushed his way back onto the draft radar with his strong, clean hands at the contest and ability to explode away from it. The power – in the mould of Sydney’s Luke Parker – is obvious but he gives himself that bit of extra time with the ball in hand too. A late growth spurt, with Walker going from 183cm to 189cm this year, is also working in his favour.
Oscar Murdoch
Medium defender, Geelong Falcons/Vic Country
Draft range: 40+
Murdoch has come from a long way back, with his impressive form at local level Newtown in the Geelong Football League last year earning him a spot at the Geelong Falcons in the pre-season. The 190cm defender – who is quick off the mark, reads the play well and is strong defensively – was ranked first for intercept possessions at the national combine with 8.7 per game. But it was his final championships game against Vic Metro that boosted his standing and will stick in the minds of recruiters. The Falcons product won 13 of his 15 possessions off the opposition, including three intercept marks. Vic Country and Falcons coach Paul Corrigan believes he plays like Dane Rampe and he will appeal to clubs looking for a versatile defender in the back-end of the draft.
Oscar Steene
West Adelaide/SA
Draft range: Late-rookie
Despite his late arrival into West Adelaide’s system last season, there was some interest in the rookie draft and that has only intensified late this year. In a draft short on ruckman, Steene’s performances at SANFL League level have stood out in 2022. The 19-year-old is a strong-marking tall, who took two contested grabs, to go with seven hitouts-to-advantage, in his senior debut in July. He followed it up with three intercept marks in another eye-catching aerial display two weeks later against North Adelaide and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty when the ball hits the deck. Steene now measures at 204cm and is a good chance to find a home in the rookie draft, with two clubs showing significant interest.
Corey Wagner
Defender/midfielder, Port Melbourne VFL
Draft range: Rookie
Could it be third time lucky for Wagner? A move into defence for the former Roo and Demon – who was cut from Melbourne in 2019 – proved a revelation in the VFL and has put him back on the draft radar. The 25-year-old’s speed, elite kicking and work defensively stood out for the Borough, averaging 22 disposals, 5.2 intercepts and 105 ranking points. Port Melbourne coach Adam Skrobalak likens him to All-Australian speedster Jack Sinclair, which is no mean feat given Skrobalak spent seven years at the Saints as a line coach. Fremantle has been strongly linked to Wagner as a rookie and he can add some outside dash right away to a side whose stagnant gamestyle was found out at times in 2022.
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