AFL mid-season draft: See who stood out when top prospects went head-to-head
A big-bodied ruckman, the brother of a Sydney Swans goalkicker and a trio of exciting key forwards have all put their hands up for selection in the AFL’s mid-season draft.
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A big-bodied ruckman, the brother of a Sydney Swans goalkicker and a trio of exciting key forwards have all put their hands up for selection in the AFL’s mid-season draft after shining in an exhibition match on Saturday.
Forty-eight of Victoria’s top mid-season draft prospects put their talents on show in the Colgate Young Guns clash at Werribee, all having been nominated to take part by at least three AFL clubs.
Multiple club recruiters went to the match without a firm watch list but were instead waiting to see who stood up – and there were a few such players.
A 200cm and 104kg ruckman from the Eastern Ranges, Riley Smith was competitive in the ruck for Vic Metro throughout the day and also hit the scoreboard with a second-quarter goal.
The 20-year-old appears AFL-ready and is one of multiple ruckmen attracting mid-season draft interest alongside Ned Moyle, Felix Flockart and Max Heath.
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Will Papley, the brother of Sydney small forward Tom, had a mixed day for Vic Country.
A fellow small forward who also had a run through the midfield, Papley’s two shots on goal both fell short of the line.
However, the Gippsland Power product moves like his brother and looked dangerous whenever he was around the ball.
Despite wet conditions in the second half, key forwards also shone brightly in the match.
Standing 191cm, Marc Massarotti was particularly impressive for Vic Metro in the first half with two goals and showed an ability to mark the ball in the air but also impact at ground level.
Fellow Vic Metro forward Samuel Paea, who stands 194cm, was similarly strong in all facets of his game and also finished with two goals.
Bendigo Pioneers product Caleb Ernst was one of Vic Country’s best players, starting in the ruck before providing plenty as a forward.
The 194cm big man kicked two goals of his own while also unselfishly handing off what would have been an easy third major to a teammate during the third quarter.
After being sidelined with an ACL last year, Noah Gribble backed up a dominant start to the season in the NAB League for Geelong Falcons with a strong performance on a wing.
Western Bulldogs Next Generation Academy member Cody Raak was solid in defence in the first half before being swung forward to kick two goals in the second half.
Raak had played for Footscray’s VFL team the previous two weeks.
Gut-running midfielder Will Bravo, who trained at Hawthorn during pre-season, also caught the eye.
VIC METRO 14.13 (97) DEF. VIC COUNTRY 5.6 (36)
GOALS, METRO: White 2, Soylemez 2, Massarotti 2, Paea 2, Raak 2, Arundell, Riley, Smith, Hipwell. COUNTRY: Earnst 2, Mitchell, Gribble, Wareham
BEST, METRO: Massarotti, Paea, Smith, Hipwell, Raak, Preston. COUNTRY: Ernst, Gribble, El Nour, Conforti, Bravo, Papley
52 PROSPECTS SET FOR MID-SEASON DRAFT AUDITION
The best and brightest mid-season draft prospects will have one of their final chances to impress AFL recruiters this weekend in an exhibition match showcasing Victoria’s best young talent.
The Colgate Young Guns game will feature the state’s best under-23 players that are eligible for the mid-season draft in a Metro v Country clash.
Of the 52 players selected in the initial squads for the match, 48 hail from NAB League teams while four are from VFL clubs.
NAB AFL Academy member Ned Moyle has been named as part of the Vic Metro squad and has emerged as a strong mid-season draft prospect.
A 205cm ruckman, Moyle caught the eye of recruiters with a competitive performance in last month’s Academy game against Geelong’s VFL team.
Another ruckman who has similarly attracted mid-season draft interest is 202cm Calder Cannons big man Liam Podhajski, who joins Moyle in the Vic Metro squad.
Eastern Ranges forward Corey Preston, who trained with the Western Bulldogs in search of a Supplementary Selection Period (SSP) list spot during pre-season, will also line up for Vic Metro.
Western Bulldogs Academy members Ewan Macpherson and Cody Raak are on the same team.
The Vic Country squad features a pair of prospects who are brothers of current AFL players.
Charlie Ham — the brother of Essendon’s Brayden Ham — has made a strong start to the season for the Geelong Falcons after being overlooked in last year’s drafts.
Will Papley — the brother of Sydney’s Tom Papley — is a lively forward for Gippsland Power, where his brother also came through the ranks.
Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Will Bravo, who missed out on an SSP spot at Hawthorn over summer, is also part of the Vic Country squad.
The match will be played at Werribee Oval on Saturday from 2.40pm.
The AFL’s mid-season draft will be held on June 2.
VIC METRO
Player, Age, Height, Weight, NAB League/VFL Club
Jake Arundell, 18, 169cm, 65kg, Eastern Ranges
Harrison White, 19, 175cm, 70kg, Western Jets
Eren Soylemez, 19, 179cm, 82kg, Northern Knights
Ewan Macpherson, 19, 179cm, 82kg, Northern Knights
Tom Blamires, 18, 180cm, 76kg, Sandringham Dragons
Corey Preston, 18, 181cm, 77kg, Eastern Ranges
Darby Hipwell, 18, 182cm, 82kg, Sandringham Dragons
Harrison Keeling, 19, 183cm, 68kg, Eastern Ranges
Joel Trudgeon, 18, 185cm, 90kg, Northern Knights
Charlie McKay, 18, 186cm, 83kg, Sandringham Dragons
Lachlan Riley, 19, 186cm, 85kg, Sandringham Dragons
Dylan Thomas, 18, 187cm, 77kg, Oakleigh Chargers
Liam Conway, 19, 188cm, 87kg, Western Jets
Ben De Bolfo, 18, 188cm, 79kg, Northern Knights
Sam Clohesy, 18, 189cm, 72kg, Calder Cannons
Fraser Elliot, 18, 189cm, 88kg, Oakleigh Chargers
Luke Cleary, 19, 189cm, 80kg, Sandringham Dragons
Logan Young, 19, 190cm, 84kg, Sandringham Dragons
Marc Massarotti, 18, 191cm, 91kg, Eastern Ranges
Cody Raak, 18, 192cm, 80kg, Western Jets
Dominic Akuei, 18, 192cm, 76kg, Northern Knights
Samuel Paea, 18, 194cm, 94kg, Calder Cannons
Flynn Maguire, 19, 195cm, 82kg, Oakleigh Chargers
Riley Smith, 20, 200cm, 104kg, Eastern Ranges
Felix Flockart, 19, 202cm, 80kg, Sandringham Dragons
Liam Pohajski, 18, 202cm, 99kg, Calder Cannons
Ned Moyle, 19, 205cm, 87kg, Oakleigh Chargers
RELATED: THE WA YOUNG GUNS ENHANCING DRAFT CREDENTIALS
VIC COUNTRY
Player, Age, Height, Weight, NAB League/VFL Club
Sam Conforti, 19, 173cm, 74kg, Bendigo Pioneers
Charlie Ham, 18, 180cm, 74kg, Geelong Falcons
Kobi George, 19, 182cm, 74kg, Dandenong Stingrays
Jack Hickman, 19, 177cm, 71kg, Bendigo Pioneers
Patrick Parnell, 19, 178cm, 60kg, Murray Bushrangers
Clayton Gay, 19, 183cm, 77kg, Dandenong Stingrays
Will Bravo, 19, 181cm, 77kg, Dandenong Stingrays
Marcous Herbert, 18, 181cm, 81kg, GWV Rebels
Flynn Young, 19, 181cm, 69kg, Geelong Falcons
Isaac Wareham, 19, 183cm, 81kg, Geelong VFL
Will Papley, 18, 178cm, 78kg, Gippsland Power
Noah Gribble, 18, 180cm, 79kg, Geelong Falcons
Charlie Byrne, 18, 184cm, 79kg, Murray Bushrangers
Sam Durham, 19, 190cm, 82kg, Richmond VFL
Cobi Maxted, 18, 188cm, 88kg, Bendigo Pioneers
Bryce Milford, 18, 195cm, 82kg, Dandenong Stingrays
Xavier Mitchell, 18, 191cm, 78kg, Bendigo Pioneers
Daniel Turner, 19, 191cm, 79kg, Murray Bushrangers
Ryan O’Keefe, 19, 192cm, 69kg, Bendigo Pioneers
Caleb Ernst, 18, 194cm, 91kg, Bendigo Pioneers
Mutaz El Nour, 19, 192cm, 83kg, Northern Bullants VFL
Jai Neal, 18, 192cm, 88kg, Dandenong Stingrays
Cameron McLeod, 18, 192cm, 78kg, Murray Bushrangers
Mason Hawkins, 19, 198cm, 82kg, Gippsland Power
Aaron Gundry, 20, 201cm, 91kg, Carlton VFL
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