Carlton and Gold Coast circling 210cm ruck prospect Alex Mirkov for mid-season draft
Carlton has its eyes on Alex Mirkov ahead of the mid-season draft. But a rival club with an earlier pick interviewed him this week.
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As Old Ivanhoe coach Jarrod Gieschen witnessed some of the athletic feats of 210cm ruckman Alex Mirkov this summer, he could only stop and giggle.
There was the towering Mirkov surging out ahead of his best endurance midfielders “almost like a cartoon character double their size”.
In match simulation the former volleyballer and basketballer showed time and again he had the speed of his onball stars.
“He is so raw but he would do things at training that would make you laugh. He would run down the mids and tackle them. If you see this kid it’s unbelievable how tall he is and how athletic he is. And he has great skills and kicks the footy really well,” Gieschen said on Tuesday.
Mirkov’s meteoric rise makes him one of the hottest players in Wednesday’s mid-season draft.
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The university student has played two senior games with Carlton’s VFL side and two with VAFA club Old Ivanhoe’s senior side, boasting 11 hit-outs to advantage in his last Blues hitout.
Mirkov is currently in 14-day lockdown after visiting a Bundoora Tier 1 exposure site but it will not dissuade the AFL clubs who see his boundless potential.
He is studying commerce at the Latrobe University’s Bundoora campus and was working in the library last week, which subsequently became a tier one site.
Carlton is desperate to secure the project ruckman with the No. 6 pick but Gold Coast interviewed him on zoom on Monday and has the No. 5 pick.
Remarkably, he has played only those four senior games of senior footy after a season with the VAFA side’s Under-19 team in 2019 before last year’s COVID wipe-out.
“He played with us in 2019 and showed some potential but he was really raw and then he did the pre-season with us over summer and played three practice games and showed such potential. He kicked three goals in a practice game against Ajax and Carlton said they didn’t have a ruckman in their VFL side.
“He played his first game of senior footy for Carlton’s VFL side then Tom De Koning came back from injury and he had 51 hit-outs playing his first senior game for us.
“He sat out with (the flu) and then had 36 hit-outs for Carlton in his second game. Carlton was good enough to let him play for us last week and he kicked his first senior goal in footy. We have had a ruck coach working with him for two or three months but now Carlton has had Matty Kreuzer doing some one-on-one ruck stuff with him and fast forward three years to see (what he could become).
“It’s all come so quickly. His aspiration in February was to play Round 1 for Old Ivanhoe and he’s going to get drafted. He is a couple of years off but it’s a great story for the Amateurs and it gives kids hope they can still get drafted.”
Mirkov is managed by Jarrod Gieschen’s brother Nick, with the boys’ father former Richmond coach and umpires boss Geoff.
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The Old Ivanhoe coach knows he is losing one of his best players but says he is thrilled the club’s development program could help a project player excel.
“He had a zoom meeting with Gold Coast on Monday. They have all come pretty quickly for the kid. He might not play in the back half of the year, but it’s just huge for the kid to potentially get drafted.”
MID-SEASON MOCK DRAFT: WHO YOUR CLUB COULD PICK
Dan Batten and Jordan Pinto
Welcome to mock draft night.
Ahead of Wednesday’s AFL mid-season rookie draft, talent watchers Dan Batten and Jordan Pinto played the role of club recruiters in a top-20 mock draft.
WATCH THE REPLAY OF THE LIVE MOCK DRAFT IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
These selections are an evaluation of the talent available and the players best suited for each club – who Dan and Jordan would take with your club’s picks – rather than a prediction of who your side will take on Wednesday night.
AFL clubs have until the close of business Tuesday to decide upon whether they clear list spots to take a selection after the final list of almost 600 nominations was confirmed last week.
This exercise will be based off the current draft order and the available list spots – and the ones likely to open up – as of Monday.
1. North Melbourne
Jacob Edwards (Sandringham Dragons)
Jordan says: An obvious one first – but for good reason. The 202cm athletic big man, who was overlooked in last year’s draft, looks the most exciting, long-term prospect in the mid-season pool. Edwards moves well, is as good at ground level as he is in the air and uses the ball nicely by foot. The versatile 19-year-old, who can play in the ruck or as a marking-forward, is a perfect fit for the rebuilding Roos.
2. Hawthorn
Ned Moyle (Oakleigh Chargers/Collingwood VFL)
Dan says: Considering Ben McEvoy (32 years old) and Jon Ceglar (30) are in the twilight of their careers, the Hawks have the opportunity to add a developing young ruckman through the mid-season draft by prising Moyle. The 204cm prospect has impressed for the Chargers in the NAB League, against Geelong’s VFL side in the AFL Academy clash and for Collingwood’s VFL side in his three matches this year. The standout option with Edwards off the table.
3. Collingwood
Jackson Callow (Norwood)
Jordan says:Callow generated plenty of hype with his performance against Adelaide’s state league side a couple of weeks ago – and, rightly so, too, given his 24-disposal, seven-contested mark display was one of the most dominant by a marking forward in the SANFL for a long time. But, arguably, the Tasmanian should already be on an AFL list after booting 24 goals in 14 matches and ranking No. 1 for contested marks of all bottom-age players in the NAB League in 2019. He would straighten up the Magpies’ forward line structure right away.
4. Adelaide
Corey Preston (Eastern Ranges)
Dan says: A draft bolter last year after snagging a combine invite without playing a NAB League game, Preston showcased his dynamic traits in a four-goal haul in Eastern’s season opener. The 181cm forward is a fantastic overhead mark for his size, has great agility and trained with the Bulldogs in search of a supplemental selection period spot during the summer. With the Crows lacking small forwards, Preston presents as an exciting addition to the Crows’ list.
WATCH THE REPLAY OF THE LIVE MOCK DRAFT IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
5. Gold Coast
Ash Johnson (Sturt)
Jordan says: Following a very similar path, the high-flying Sturt forward would fit in nicely alongside cousin Jy Farrar at the Suns. Like, Farrar, the 193cm Johnson first caught the eye in the Adelaide Footy League, before making his mark for the Double Blues in the SANFL. Johnson’s body of work at state-league level – 13 goals and 14 contested marks so far in 2021 – is far superior to Farrar’s but they have very similar traits – great hands, terrific vertical leap and plenty of x-factor.
6. Carlton
Zavier Maher (Murray Bushrangers)
Dan says: Maher was, arguably, the most unlucky draft hopeful to be left on the board last year after being unsighted due to the NAB League shutdown, with the speedy midfielder’s 30 disposal return from injury for the Bushrangers last week a stern reminder of his talent. Maher, who trained with the Blues during the pre-season, clocked a rapid 2.89 seconds in the 20m sprint test at last year’s draft combine – ranked fifth nationally – and can add a different dimension to the Blues’ midfield in time.
7. St Kilda
Max Heath (Sandringham Dragons)
Jordan says: Paul Hunter was added to the list as an SPP signing at the start of the year but he’s not a long-term ruck prospect and the Saints need one with Paddy Ryder in the twilight of his career. And 18-year-old Sandringham Dragons big man, Heath, is exactly that. Last year’s NAB League shutdown saw him go undrafted, given he only played one bottom-age game in 2019. But his ability to get around the ground, competitiveness and strong hands have come to the fore in 2021.
8. GWS Giants
Wylie Buzza (Werribee VFL)
Dan says: The Giants don’t have a glaring need but injuries to their talls have forced veteran Shane Mumford and Matt Flynn to shoulder the ruck load. At 197cm, Buzza can provide ruck relief and be a potent threat up forward, where he has booted 12 goals in five matches for Werribee since being delisted by Port Adelaide. The 25-year-old spent just a season at the Power with little opportunity to prove himself in scratch matches, also playing nine matches for Geelong from 2017-18
9. Essendon
Tyrone Thorne (Peel Thunder)
Jordan says: I was close to going with Tom Green’s younger brother, Josh, here, whose 191cm frame would add nicely to Essendon’s midfield. But the speed, skill and serious x-factor of Thorne, who is dominating at WAFL League level this year, might suit better. The 19-year-old only stands at 169cm but when no one can lay a hand on you, and you boast uncanny goal sense, does it really matter?
10. Richmond
Nathan Freeman (Frankston VFL)
Dan says: A top-ten selection back in 2013, the former Pie and Saint has had a case of leather poisoning for Frankston in the VFL this season, averaging a whopping 41.2 disposals, 6.8 clearances and 130 ranking points. Freeman, 25, is a rock-solid back-up for the Tigers, who were light on for midfield options during their recent injury crisis. If the likes of Trent Cotchin or Dion Prestia go down again, Freeman can slot straight in, and he is capable on both the inside and the outside. The midfielder has had a horror run with injury in the past but may be worth the risk for the Tigers who are firmly in the premiership window.
11. Sydney
Cody Raak (Western Jets/Footscray VFL)
Jordan says: The Swans need to bolster their long-term defensive stocks, and the mid-season draft is their chance to pounce on Bulldogs NGA prospect Raak before November’s national draft. The 192cm defender reads the play well, allowing him to get in great positions, and is efficient with the ball in hand. Raak had 33 disposals, 11 intercepts and 215 ranking points in Round 4 of the NAB League and slotted in nicely at VFL level, playing two games for Footscray during the break.
12. Port Adelaide
Oliver Davis (Adelaide SANFL/Clarence)
Dan says: The Power’s inside midfield depth has been exposed at times – particularly when 32-year-old Travis Boak is out of the side – and no-frills midfielder Davis can alleviate that shortfall down the track. Davis has played three games for Adelaide’s SANFL side since winning a best-and-fairest for Tasmania State League club Clarence last year, the highlight being his 26 disposals, 16 contested possessions, nine tackles and 125 ranking points in his second game against Norwood. The 18-year-old is a tough customer, who does his best work in the engine room.
13. Melbourne
Tyson Stengle (Woodville-West Torrens)
Jordan says: Simon Goodwin’s group is well-rounded, but with Jake Melksham, Kade Chandler and Oskar Baker featuring in the Demons forward-half at different times during the year, the class and talent of Stengle could add yet another layer to the side. He’s had his off-field issues, but the 22-year-old, who leads the SANFL for score assists, booted 3.3 from 22 disposals against Norwood on Saturday, in another reminder he’s too good for state league football.
14. North Melbourne
Noah Gribble (Geelong Falcons)
Dan says: Considered a mature-age option to assist the Roos’ kids but decided to take another promising youngster in hardworking midfielder Gribble, who had his draft year curtailed by a ruptured ACL suffered at the end of 2019. The 180cm midfielder has returned to the NAB League with great success this season, winning 28.8 disposals and 21.8 uncontested possessions per game – a testament to his work rate – for the Falcons.
15. Hawthorn
Josh Green (GWS VFL)
Jordan says: All the talk has been about Box Hill midfielder Jai Newcombe’s blistering start to the VFL season – and he could very well become a Hawk on Wednesday. But does Alastair Clarkson need another James Worpel type? I’ve gone with the height of big-bodied midfielder Green here. The younger brother of emerging Giants star, Tom, Green trained with Richmond over summer and tallied 27 disposals, 14 contested possessions, six clearances, two goals and 127 ranking points against Geelong’s VFL side two weeks ago. Does that stat line sound familiar?
16. Collingwood
Eamon Wilkinson (South Adelaide)
Dan says: We would have loved to take Stengle here, but Wilkinson is another nice small forward pick-up despite fracturing his tibia in the lead-up to the mid-season draft. Collingwood’s long-term vision means his injury should not be a great concern, given the 21-year-old’s forward craft and pressure would assist the club’s forward line woes along with Callow. Wilkinson hails from the same club as Beau McCreery, who the Pies plucked in last year’s national draft.
17. Adelaide
Will Bravo (Dandenong Stingrays)
Jordan says: With Dan pinching Oliver Davis with the Power, I’ll go with the speed and upside of Dandenong Stingray’s midfielder-forward Bravo, after his career-high 27 disposals in the last round of the NAB League. Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks has stated his want to add to his forward group, and Bravo’s athleticism, clean hands and tackling pressure would suit nicely.
18. Gold Coast
Michael Knoll (Norwood)
Dan says: The 203cm ruckman is tipped to be the first ever dual mid-season draftee, spending 18 months on Sydney’s list without playing a game after being taken in the 2019 edition. At 28, Knoll can fill a gaping hole in the Suns’ ruck outfit left by a season-ending injury to Jarrod Witts and he loomed as the best ready-made ruck available. Has averaged 29.3 hit-outs and 107 rankings points in an eye-catching campaign for the Redlegs. It has been reported since this mock-draft was conducted that Knoll failed a fitness test with the Suns, meaning the club is set to look elsewhere.
19. Carlton
Alex Mirkov (Carlton VFL/Old Ivanhoe)
Jordan says: He’s right on Carlton’s radar and it make sense, given Tom De Koning is the only young ruckman on the Blues’ list. He’s raw, but there’s plenty of potential – as his spring and tapwork in limited VFL exposure proves – and that’s what some club’s will use the mid-season draft for.
20. Melbourne
Riley Knight (Woodville-West Torrens SANFL)
Dan says: I felt Knight still had more to offer at AFL level when he was cut from the Crows at the end of last year after 55 games for the club. With the ability to play a variety of roles, the 25-year-old could add extra depth to a contender like Melbourne following an impressive SANFL season to date as an inside midfielder, averaging 27.5 disposals, 5.4 tackles and kicking seven goals from eight matches.
Clubs without list spots (as of Monday midday): Brisbane, Fremantle, Geelong, West Coast, Western Bulldogs
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