Rhylee West says playing with Western Bulldogs after father Scott would be ‘special’
RHYLEE West would love to follow in his father’s footsteps to Whitten Oval, Billy Brownless’s son boots a beauty and the midfield stars of the ‘super draft’ shine bright. JON RALPH on Vic Metro v Vic Country.
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WESTERN Bulldogs father-son prospect Rhylee West caught the last quarter of Saturday night’s heartbreaker after his Vic Metro team meeting.
On Sunday the chip off the old block put in another performance which shows he will almost certainly join those players in November’s national draft.
The son of club champion Scott West played a starring role in Vic Metro’s 26-point win over Vic Country, which will likely see them battling South Australia for the title.
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The results are less relevant than the kids on show, with Billy Brownless’s son Oscar kicking the goal of the day from deep in the pocket.
Oscar Brownless is likely to be drafted as a gifted running midfielder, picking up 14 possessions despite a corked thigh.
Top-three prospect Ben King kicked two goals but was well held, while the draft’s best midfielder Sam Walsh was brilliant for Vic Country with 29 possessions and a classy running goal.
West won 20 possessions, eight contested possessions and five clearances, aware under the bidding system anything could happen in November.
“It would be pretty special. I grew up barracking for them and dad played for them and it would be pretty special,’’ he said.
“I know a few people down there already and Bevo (coach Luke Beveridge) is mates with dad.
“But at the end of the day it’s about getting drafted and if that’s the Dogs, interstate or another Melbourne club, it doesn’t really matter.”
West is considered a prospect likely to go late in the first round of the draft or early in the second.
He still needs to work on his finishing and defensive skills but is the TAC Cup’s best clearance player.
He remains in the dark about the Dogs prospects, but a team that still needs inside beasts would seem reluctant to pass over him.
“Early on in the year we had a talk about what goes on and I haven’t really had anything to do with them (since),’’ he said.
“Through the academy we got pre-season training at AFL clubs and I went to the Dogs for a couple of weeks.
“It was a great experience, probably the best thing for my pre-season so it was good.”
Sandringham Dragon Bailey Smith, potentially the draft’s second-best midfielder, was excellent early and finished with three goals and 20 possessions.
Craig Kelly’s son Will continued his consistent season, playing key defence for Vic Metro as a 193cm tall.
VIC METRO 4.1 9.1 9.5 13.6 (84)
VIC COUNTRY 3.1 4.4 7.6 8.10 (58)
GOALS
Vic Metro: Smith 3, Taylor 3, Answerth 2, King 2, O’Halloran 2, Collier-Dawkins
Vic Country: McHenry 2, Flanders 2, Walsh, Bowman, Brownless, Keighran
JON RALPH’S BEST
Vic Metro: Smith, McKenzie, Taylor, West, Answerth
Vic Country: Walsh, Duursma, Flanders, McHenry, Bowman
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