Tasmania has four star teenagers hoping to start AFL careers in this week’s Draft
Meet Tasmania’s best hopes in this year’s AFL Draft, and find out what the experts say about their chances of starting careers in the big time.
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IT’S the toughest year on record for a budding football star to get drafted but Tasmania Devils coach Cameron Joyce remains “hopeful” the state’s top teenagers have done enough playing TSL this season to get picked up in the 2020 AFL Draft on Wednesday night.
The state has four genuine draft hopefuls in the Class of 2020 — key forward Jackson Callow (North Launceston), midfield maestro Oliver Davis (Clarence), dashing defender Sam Collins and his North Hobart teammate, allrounder Patrick Walker.
With incomes diminished, budgets slashed, and staff let go in the pandemic-smashed industry, AFL clubs have flagged a heavily-reduced “harvest” in this year’s draft.
While their coaches say the awesome foursome has AFL qualities, Joyce says their chances come with a warning.
“I’m hopeful, but this year has been unprecedented with some players playing and some players not, and there might only be 50 new opportunities in the AFL Draft and the Rookie Draft,” he said.
“When you think about that, I can’t say I’m confident but I’m certainly hopeful.”
Richard Robinson, North Hobart’s recently retired coach after four years in charge, is a big fan of teenage Demons, Collins and Walker.
“As a defender Sam reads the ball really well and is able to put himself in the right spot,” Robinson said.
“He has improved his work-rate this year and his one-on-one game as well, and he can penetrate the lines.
“Paddy played in a variety of positions and that’s his biggest advantage, the ability to play forward, back or on a wing, and he can play on the ball as well.”
Clarence coach Jeromey Webberley said Davis could not have done anything more to prove his potential.
“He’s is definitely, by far, our best chance in the draft,” Webberley said.
“Ollie is a bombproof selection for an AFL club.
“He’s got good character, he’s a really good young leader, he gets on well with people, he’s a really hard worker, and that’s outside his football ability.
“He would easily fit into an AFL environment.
“As a player he has the AFL fundamentals — a really good contested ball-winner, he’s very clean below his knees, he’s great with his hands, and he’s very good tackler.
“Let’s hope he gets drafted, but no one really knows what’s going to happen.”
Here’s how Cameron Joyce assesses Tasmania’s Awesome Foursome.
SAM COLLINS: North Hobart, defender, 18, 188cm, 85kg: “Sam is a very versatile defender. He can play on a number of different types of opponent. He is an aggressive half-back in terms of wanting to take the game on and he can intercept mark the ball really well.”
PATRICK WALKER: North Hobart, forward/backman, 18, 186cm, 80kg: “Paddy’s a smooth mover. He kicks the ball really well and he can play in a number of different roles, which he has shown over the past two years, and he has got elite endurance.”
OLIVER DAVIS: Clarence, midfield, 18, 182cm, 75kg: “Ollie’s a ball winner, a great tackler and a contested player. He has also been working on his outside game, which has improved this year, and he plays well at every level he has played. With his possession rate he has always got the ball in his hands.”
JACKSON CALLOW: North Launceston, key forward, 18, 194cm, 96kg: “His contested marking and aggression are both elite qualities. Some people may look at [question] his height but you’ve got to look at the qualities he possesses. They are key-position qualities with his aggression and contested marking. He has also built his tank up to be elite for his size.”
Joyce believes two other Tassie teenagers are worth consideration by AFL recruiters — one new to football with rare talents that AFL recruiters crave, and the other a defensive weapon.
Joyce reviews the smokies.
HAMISH ALLAN: North Hobart, ruckman, 20, 206cm, 98kg: “He came to us late from rowing and the way he has developed in the past 12 months makes him a really quick learner as a really tall ruckman — and they’re hard to find.”
ISAAC CHUGG: Launceston, midfield/defender, 18, 180cm, 80kg: “He’s a powerful defender with an elite athletic profile with speed power and endurance. He’s a competitor and he’s hard to play against.”
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