AFLX draft: Every player picked to play in the tournament

AFLX teams have been locked in after team captains completed the draft. Eddie Betts’ first pick was a surprise on face value, but the star Crows’ forward says the No.1 had “the best GPS numbers in the game”. FULL TEAM LISTS

Some of the AFL’s biggest names have been picked for what the league hopes will one day be among the biggest days on its calendar — AFLX.

The four realestate.com.au AFLX teams for the February 22 tournament have been finalised, with team captains selecting 48 players at the draft table from a pool of 90 AFL stars who had put up their hands to play.

Eddie Betts’ all-indigenous team Deadly received first pick in the draft, selecting Fremantle speedster Bradley Hill.

“He’s got one of the best GPS numbers in the game, and he can run up and back,” Betts said.

Hill’s Dockers captain Fyfe backed up his merits.

“Brad’s built for this sort of game — up and back, elite speed,” Fyfe added.

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Bradley Hill was the first player picked in the AFLX draft.

Hill joins four-time premiership player Shaun Burgoyne, Geelong’s Tim Kelly, Collingwood’s Travis Varcoe and Hawthorn’s Chad Wingard as part of that team.

Bolts captain Patrick Dangerfield and vice-captain Luke Hodge will be joined by Geelong forward Tom Hawkins, Collingwood’s Steele Sidebottom and Port Adelaide’s Robbie Gray.

West Coast onballer Andrew Gaff, who is suspended for the first two rounds of the home-and-away season, has been cleared to play for Bolts, snapped up at pick No.18.

At team Flyers, Nat Fyfe and Marcus Bontempelli are set to line up alongside Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury, Richmond defender Alex Rance and GWS forward Jeremy Cameron.

Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt will have Carlton co-captain Patrick Cripps, Greater Western Sydney’s Lachie Whitfield and Adelaide’s Rory Sloane at team Rampage.

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While AFLX failed to capture the attention of many fans when it was first rolled out last year, the league is hoping this year’s star power will give the concept a greater spotlight.

The hope is also that the tournament will particularly engage children, who will follow their heroes in any format.

Collingwood stars Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury will both play AFLX but on different teams. Picture: Michael Klein

“Hopefully we can get a lot of kids to come along and we want it to be kid-friendly and family-friendly,” Deadly captain Eddie Betts told the Herald Sun.

“I think it will go off with a bang.”

Notable absences from the tournament include reigning Brownlow Medalist Tom Mitchell (broken leg), Sydney superstar Lance Franklin and Richmond midfielder Dustin Martin.

The league has conducted a shake-up of AFLX rules this year, including the addition of a nominated ‘gamechanger’ player, who will be awarded double points for any goal or behind kicked during the last five minutes of the game.

Matches span two 10-minute halves, with eight players from each team on a soccer-sized rectangular pitch and unlimited interchange allowed from squads of 14.

2019 AFLX TEAMS

BOLTS

Patrick Dangerfield (captain), Luke Hodge (vice-captain), Tom Hawkins, Steele

Sidebottom, Mark Blicavs, Robbie Gray, Andrew Gaff, Luke Parker, Jaidyn Stephenson,

Andrew McGrath, Jack Billings, Daniel Rich, Robbie Tarrant, Jack Steele.

DEADLY

Eddie Betts (captain), Shaun Burgoyne (vice-captain), Bradley Hill, Jarrod Harbrow,

Tim Kelly, Chad Wingard, Travis Varcoe, Steven May, Lewis Jetta, Anthony McDonald-

Tipungwuti, Joel Hamling, Willie Rioli, Sam Powell-Pepper, Cameron Ellis-Yolmen.

Patrick Dangerfield picked teammate Tom Hawkins in the AFLX draft. Picture: Alan Barber

FLYERS

Nat Fyfe (captain), Marcus Bontempelli (vice-captain), Scott Pendlebury, Alex Rance, Jeremy Cameron, Isaac Heeney, Stephen Coniglio, Rory Laird, Travis Boak, Lachie Hunter, Aliir Aliir, Michael Hurley, Josh P. Kennedy, Jack Higgins.

RAMPAGE

Jack Riewoldt (captain), Patrick Cripps (vice-captain), Lachie Whitfield, Rory

Sloane, Phil Davis, Dayne Zorko, Isaac Smith, Luke Breust, Easton Wood, Tom McDonald,

Dylan Shiel, Shaun Higgins, Tim Membrey, Zac Fisher.

THE DRAFT ORDER

1. Bradley Hill (Fremantle) DEADLY

2. Tom Hawkins (Geelong Cats) BOLTS

3. Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood) FLYERS

4. Lachie Whitfield (GWS GIANTS) RAMPAGE

5. Rory Sloane (Adelaide Crows) RAMPAGE

6. Alex Rance (Richmond) FLYERS

7. Steele Sidebottom (Collingwood) BOLTS

8. Jarrod Harbrow (Gold Coast SUNS) DEADLY

9. Tim Kelly (Geelong Cats) DEADLY

10. Mark Blicavs (Geelong Cats) BOLTS

11. Jeremy Cameron (GWS GIANTS) FLYERS

12. Phil Davis (GWS GIANTS) RAMPAGE

13. Dayne Zorko (Brisbane Lions) RAMPAGE

14. Isaac Heeney (Sydney Swans) FLYERS

15. Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide) BOLTS

16. Chad Wingard (Hawthorn) DEADLY

17. Travis Varcoe (Collingwood) DEADLY

18. Andrew Gaff (West Coast Eagles) BOLTS

19. Stephen Coniglio (GWS GIANTS) FLYERS

20. Isaac Smith (Hawthorn) RAMPAGE

21. Luke Breust (Hawthorn) RAMPAGE

22. Rory Laird (Adelaide Crows) FLYERS

23. Luke Parker (Sydney Swans) BOLTS

24. Steven May (Melbourne) DEADLY

25. Lewis Jetta (West Coast Eagles) DEADLY

26. Jaidyn Stephenson (Collingwood) BOLTS

27. Travis Boak (Port Adelaide) FLYERS

28. Lachie Hunter (Western Bulldogs) FLYERS (stolen from RAMPAGE)

29. Easton Wood (Western Bulldogs) RAMPAGE

30. Tom McDonald (Melbourne) RAMPAGE

31. Dylan Shiel (Essendon) RAMPAGE (stolen from BOLTS)

32. Andrew McGrath (Essendon) BOLTS

33. Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (Essendon) DEADLY

34. Joel Hamling (Fremantle) DEADLY

35. Jack Billings (St Kilda) BOLTS

36. Aliir Aliir (Sydney Swans) FLYERS

37. Shaun Higgins (North Melbourne) RAMPAGE

38. Daniel Rich (Brisbane Lions) BOLTS (stolen from FLYERS)

39. Michael Hurley (Essendon) FLYERS

40. Willie Rioli (West Coast Eagles) DEADLY

41. Sam Powell-Pepper (Port Adelaide) DEADLY

42. Robbie Tarrant (North Melbourne) BOLTS

43. Josh P. Kennedy (Sydney Swans) FLYERS

44. Tim Membrey (St Kilda) RAMPAGE

45. Zac Fisher (Carlton) RAMPAGE

46. Jack Higgins (Richmond) FLYERS

47. Jack Steele (St Kilda) BOLTS

48. Cameron Ellis-Yolmen (Adelaide Crows) DEADLY

The tournament will be held at Marvel Stadium on Friday, February 22. Tickets are available online at x.afl