NAB League Top 50: Power big man’s brother climbing up draft boards

Amid a dearth of quality big men, the younger brother of a Port Adelaide big man is catching the attention of AFL clubs — and he’s produced some monster SuperCoach scores.

The younger brother of a Port Adelaide big man is catching the attention of AFL clubs amid a shortage of quality talls in this year’s draft pool.

Lewis Hayes — the brother of Power ruckman Sam Hayes — has shot up club draft boards in recent weeks after producing some solid performances in defence for Vic Metro across three under-18 national championships matches.

Hayes returned to his NAB League club Eastern Ranges on the weekend and continued his rich vein of form as he racked up 144 SuperCoach ranking points in an eight-point win over Dandenong Stingrays.

“He had a finger injury on the eve of Round 1 which probably held him back a little bit from doing what he wanted to do the first three or four games of the year,” Eastern Ranges talent manager Daniel Ryan said.

“But he’s coming off some really good form with Vic Metro and he continued that on the weekend with 30 possessions. His intercept marking was back and he was using the ball much better coming out of defence. He was outstanding for us in a weekend.

“He’s one that clubs have had an eye on for the last couple of years, watching his development.”

Another Hayes could be on his way to the AFL.

Hayes has averaged 15.7 disposals, 5.3 rebound 50s, 3.7 intercept marks and 7.3 intercept possessions for Vic Metro during the national championships and has logged similarly impressive numbers in the NAB League.

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Hayes measured 197.4cm at the NAB League testing day in March and does not turn 18 until December, indicating some more growth could still come.

His brother Sam stands 205cm tall.

“Lewis is a different player,” Ryan said.

“Sam is a ruckman, whereas Lewis is a key position or second or third tall defender that comes across and supports the other key defenders.

“He’s a lightly built player. But once he can get into an AFL system and they get him into a weights program, he’ll put on some kilos over the next two or three years. I think he’s going to be a very good player.”

Another key position player also caught the eye in the NAB League over the weekend, with Greater Western Victoria Rebels forward Aaron Cadman booting five goals among 13 score involvements for a sky-high total of 191 ranking points.

Cadman has been compared to Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron and is shaping as a potential first-round draft pick after producing a strong national championships campaign for Vic Country.

Key forward Aaron Cadman had a monster game for the Greater Western Victoria Rebels on the weekend. Picture: Getty Images

EASTERN RANGES 10.13 (73) d DANDENONG STINGRAYS 8.17 (65)

144 points – Lewis Hayes (Eastern Ranges)

128 points – Henry Hustwaite (Dandenong Stingrays)

123 points – Callum Verrell (Eastern Ranges)

122 points – Cam Nyko (Eastern Ranges)

108 points – Finn Fmile-Brennan (Dandenong Stingrays)

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS 9.11 (65) def. by OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 11.4 (70)

162 points – Noah Bradshaw (Murray Bushrangers)

120 points – Foster Gardiner (Murray Bushrangers)

120 points – Braden Andrews (Oakleigh Chargers)

120 points – Toby Murray (Murray Bushrangers)

114 points – Hamish Heine (Oakleigh Chargers)

BENDIGO PIONEERS 10.10 (70) d NORTHERN KNIGHTS 9.15 (69)

197 points – Harvey Gallagher (Bendigo Pioneers)

177 points – Bode Stevens (Bendigo Pioneers)

161 points – Jonathan Tomasiello (Northern Knights)

138 points – Matthew Ryan (Northern Knights)

100 points – Jarred Seiter (Northern Knights)

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 11.12 (78) d GEELONG 7.14 (56)

159 points – Jhye Clark (Geelong Falcons)

159 points – Will Ashcroft (Sandringham Dragons)

143 points – Lachlan Benton (Sandringham Dragons)

142 points – Nathan Scollo (Sandringham Dragons)

140 points – Harry Sheezel (Sandringham Dragons)

WESTERN JETS 6.6 (42) def. by GWV REBELS 12.16 (88)

191 points – Aaron Cadman (GWV Rebels)

145 points – Brody Pope (GWV Rebels)

127 points – Alex Molan (GWV Rebels)

124 points – Brady Wright (GWV Rebels)

120 points – Hugh Bond (GWV Rebels)

TASMANIA DEVILS 8.16 (64) d GIPPSLAND POWER 7.11 (53)

156 points – Lachlan Cowan (Tasmania Devils)

153 points – Cooper Vickery (Gippsland Power)

129 points – Max Walton (Gippsland Power)

120 points – Jack Callinan (Tasmania Devils)

103 points – Colby McKercher (Tasmania Devils)

NAB LEAGUE TOP 50 RANKINGS AFTER ROUND 13

Ranking, Player, Club, Position, 2022 Games, 2022 Ave. KFC SuperCoach Points

1. Will Ashcroft (Sandringham Dragons), MID, 8 games, 156 points

2. Harry Sheezel (Sandringham Dragons), FWD, 8 games, 148 points

3. Lachlan Cowan (Tasmania Devils), DEF, 8 games, 143 points

4. Joel Fitzgerald (Northern Knights), DEF, 1 game, 140 points

5. Elijah Tsatas (Oakleigh Chargers), MID, 4 games, 137 points

6. Jai Culley* (Dandenong Stingrays), MID/FWD, 2 games, 135 points

7. Massimo D’Ambrosio* (Western Jets), DEF, 4 games, 134 points

8. Ted Clohesy (Geelong Falcons), MID, 7 games, 131 points

9. Bailey Humphrey (Gippsland Power), MID, 6 games, 130 points

10. Lloyd Johnston (NT Thunder), DEF, 3 games, 127 points

11. Charlie Molan (GWV Rebels), MID, 4 games, 126 points

12. Aaron Cadman (GWV Rebels), FWD, 8 games, 126 points

13. George Wardlaw (Oakleigh Chargers), MID, 3 games, 125 points

14. Hugh Bond (GWV Rebels), MID, 8 games, 124 points

15. Tom Gillet (Geelong Falcons), FWD, 5 games, 123 points

16. Taj Campbell-Farrell (Dandenong Stingrays), MID, 10 games, 123 points

17. Max Walton (Gippsland Power), MID, 6 games, 122 points

18. Jaelen Pavlidis (Western Jets), FWD, 9 games, 122 points

19. Mitchell Moschetti (Gippsland Power), MID, 7 games, 122 points

20. Oskar Faulkhead* (Bendigo Pioneers), MID, 5 games, 121 points

21. Seth Campbell (Tasmania Devils), FWD, 9 games, 121 points

22. Michael Ktona (Calder Cannons), 4 games, 120 points

23. Noah Bradshaw (Murray Bushrangers), MID, 10 games, 120 points

24. Nicholas Quigg (Murray Bushrangers), MID, 11 games, 117 points

25. Ethan Grace (GWS Academy), FWD, 4 games, 117 points

26. Patrick Dozzi (Northern Knights), MID, 6 games, 117 points

27. Coby Burgiel (Geelong Falcons), FWD, 5 games, 117 points

28. Jonathan Tomasiello (Northern Knights), MID, 7 games, 116 points

29. Mitch Szybkowski (Dandenong Stingrays), MID, 4 games, 115 points

30. Colby McKercher (Tasmania Devils), 9 games, 115 points

31. Jason Gillbee (Bendigo Pioneers), MID, 6 games, 115 points

32. Jhye Clark (Geelong Falcons), MID, 7 games, 115 points

33. Luke Giacometti (Sydney Academy), DEF, 4 games, 114 points

34. Harry Rowston (GWS Academy), FWD, 4 games, 113 points

35. Liam Jones (Tasmania Devils), MID, 10 games, 113 points

36. Euriah Hollard (Geelong Falcons), FWD, 9 games, 113 points

37. Nick Madden (GWS Academy), RUCK, 4 games, 112 points

38. Jed Foggo (Gold Coast Suns Academy), MID, 3 games, 112 points

39. Harley Reid (Bendigo Pioneers), MID, 8 games, 111 points

40. Luke Fellows (GWS Academy), DEF, 4 games, 111 points

41. Zane Duursma (Gippsland Power), MID-FWD, 9 games, 111 points

42. Henry Hustwaite (Dandenong Stingrays), MID, 9 games, 110 points

43. Jaspa Fletcher (Lions Academy), MID, 3 games, 110 points

44. Angus Anderson (Swans Academy) MID, 2 games, 110 points

45. Callum Verrell (Eastern Ranges), MID, 8 games, 109 points

46. Will Lorenz (Oakleigh Chargers), MID, 1 game, 109 points

47. Cam Mackenzie (Sandringham Dragons), MID, 5 games, 108 points

48. Tyreece Leiu (Eastern Ranges), FWD, 3 games, 108 points

49. Charlie Clarke (Sandringham Dragons), MID-FWD, 9 games, 108 points

50. Jake Rogers (Gold Coast Suns Academy), 3 games, 107 points

*Recruited in AFL Mid-Season Draft