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Re: 2020 draft watch
The other impact - what happens next year?
We've taken 19 year olds before, I expect the 'late bloomers/bolters' who didn't get a look this year will be competing with the regular class of next year.
I really like the signs Lachie Young has shown after we rookied him as a 19 year old. We might just be watching a few and snag another bargain next year.Western Bulldogs: 2016 PremiersComment
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Re: 2020 draft watch
LINK
Players called up for Draft Combine:
DESPITE having their season wiped out by COVID-19, half of the prospects invited to test at this year's NAB AFL Draft Combines will be Victorians in a boost for that state's draft hopefuls.
The AFL released a list of 94 players from around the country who will test at the NAB AFL Draft Combines, which this year will be held in each state in coming weeks.
A date for the Victorian Combine is yet to be set as the state continues to deal with the outbreak of the pandemic, but 46 players from the metropolitan and country regions have been identified to show their athletic and physical attributes when a time is locked in.
Included in the group are potential first-round picks Elijah Hollands, Will Phillips, Tanner Bruhn, Archie Perkins, Zach Reid and Finlay Macrae
The NAB League was postponed days before its season was due to get underway and later cancelled as the second wave of the illness spread around the state, leaving most Victorian draftees missing a full season.
The AFL is hopeful it will be able to stage the testing day for the Victorian prospects later this year, with timings confirmed for all other states.
There are a total of 10 players from the northern states who have been invited to their respective Combines, while Maurice Rioli Jnr, who can join Richmond as a father-son selection, has been picked as a Northern Territory representative.
Bolter Brayden Cook's form in the SANFL under-18s competition has impressed to win a call-up as one of 20 players added from South Australia, while there have been 11 West Australians nominated.
Clubs were asked to nominate their list of preferred NAB AFL Draft Combine attendees, with players who represented the NAB AFL Academy at under-17s level last year, and those who played in the 2019 Grand Final day All Stars clash, included automatically.
2020 NAB AFL Draft Combine list (as of September 3)
NSW (To be held on Sunday, October 25)
Braeden Campbell (Sydney Academy)
Charlie Byrne (Murray Bushrangers)
Errol Gulden (Sydney Academy)
Joshua Green (GWS Academy)
Northern Territory (Saturday, October 3)
Joel Jeffrey (Wanderers/Gold Coast Academy)
Maurice Rioli jnr (Oakleigh Chargers)
Brodie Lake (Southern Districts/Central District (SA)/Gold Coast Academy)
Queensland (Saturday, October 3)
Alex Davies (Gold Coast Academy)
Blake Coleman (Brisbane Academy)
Carter Michael (Brisbane Academy)
Jack Briskey (Brisbane Academy)
Max Pescud (Gold Coast Academy)
Saxon Crozier (Brisbane Academy)
South Australia (Wednesday, September 30)
Brayden Cook (South Adelaide)
Caleb Poulter (Woodville West Torrens)
Corey Durdin (Central District)
Henry Smith (Woodville West Torrens)
James Borlase (Sturt)
Jye Sinderberry (West Adelaide)
Kaine Baldwin (Glenelg)
Lachlan Jones (Woodville West Torrens)
Luke Edwards (Glenelg)
Luke Pedlar (Glenelg)
Malachy Carruthers (Sturt)
Mitchell Duval (West Adelaide)
Pheonix Spicer (South Adelaide)
Riley Thilthorpe (West Adelaide)
Taj Schofield (Woodville West Torrens)
Tariek Newchurch (North Adelaide)
Tom Powell (Sturt)
Tom Highmore (South Adelaide)
Xavier Robbins (Glenelg)
Zac Dumesny (South Adelaide)
Tasmania (Week of Monday, September 21)
Jackson Callow (North Launceston)
Oliver Davis (Clarence)
Patrick Walker (North Hobart)
Sam Collins (North Hobart)
Vic Country (TBC)
Blake Reid (Geelong Falcons)
Cameron Fleeton (Geelong Falcons)
Charlie Ham (Geelong Falcons)
Charlie Lazzaro (Geelong Falcons)
Clayton Gay (Dandenong Stingrays)
Elijah Hollands (Murray Bushrangers)
Harry Sharp (Greater Western Victoria Rebels)
Henry Walsh (Geelong Falcons)
Jack Ginnivan (Bendigo Pioneers)
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (Oakleigh Chargers)
Josh Treacy (Bendigo Pioneers)
Nick Stevens (Greater Western Victoria Rebels)
Noah Gribble (Geelong Falcons)
Oliver Henry (Geelong Falcons)
Ryan Angwin (Gippsland Power)
Sam Berry (Gippsland Power)
Seamus Mitchell (Bendigo Pioneers)
Tanner Bruhn (Geelong Falcons)
Will Bravo (Dandenong Stingrays)
Zach Reid (Gippsland Power)
Zavier Maher (Murray Bushrangers)
Vic Metro (TBC)
Lachlan Carrigan (Sandringham Dragons)
Archie Perkins (Sandringham Dragons)
Bailey Laurie (Oakleigh Chargers)
Campbell Edwardes (Calder Cannons)
Cody Brand (Calder Cannons)
Connor Downie (Eastern Ranges)
Conor Stone (Oakleigh Chargers)
Corey Preston (Eastern Ranges)
Eddie Ford (Western Jets)
Ewan Macpherson (Northern Knights)
Finlay Macrae (Oakleigh Chargers)
Fraser Rosman (Sandringham Dragons)
Jake Bowey (Sandringham Dragons)
Josh Eyre (Calder Cannons)
Joshua Clarke (Eastern Ranges)
Liam McMahon (Northern Knights)
Liam Kolar (Northern Knights)
Luke Cleary (Sandringham Dragons)
Matt Allison (Calder Cannons)
Max Heath (Sandringham Dragons)
Max Holmes (Sandringham Dragons)
Nikolas Cox (Northern Knights)
Ollie Lord (Sandringham Dragons)
Reef McInnes (Oakleigh Chargers)
Will Phillips (Oakleigh Chargers)
Western Australia (Wednesday, September 30)
Blake Morris (Subiaco)
Brandon Walker (East Fremantle)
Denver Grainger-Barras (Swan Districts)
Heath Chapman (West Perth)
Jack Carroll (East Fremantle)
Joel Western (Claremont)
Kalin Lane (Claremont)
Logan McDonald (Perth)
Nathan O'Driscoll (Perth)
Shannon Neale (South Fremantle)
Zane Trew (Swan Districts)FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.Comment
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Re: 2020 draft watch
Isiah Winder (Peel) also going to WA combineListening to Brahm's 3rd RacketComment
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Re: 2020 draft watch
No Cody RaakListening to Brahm's 3rd RacketComment
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Re: 2020 draft watch
Why is the J Train in Vic Country ? I assume being from Warrnambool but he's at the chargers.BT COME BACK!
Comment
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Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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Re: 2020 draft watch
He is the talk of the WAFL and has quickly become this year’s AFL draft bolter.
Western Australia under-18s coach and former West Coast forward Peter Sumich had Perth’s Logan McDonald flagged as a likely first-round draft pick entering this year.
Many recruiters now have the key forward as a top-three selection.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE TOP 25 DRAFT PROSPECTS OUTSIDE OF VICTORIA
Unlike draft hopefuls in Victoria, McDonald has been able to play football in the WAFL this year and has grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
From six games playing against men, the 18-year-old has kicked 17 goals to lead the competition’s goalkicking table.
He is also averaging 13.2 disposals, five marks (2.8 contested) and 112 SuperCoach ranking points.
“If you’re talking about a bolter in the top-end, he’s the one,” Sumich told News Corp.
“He’s just really taken the next step. We’d seen that in his pre-season camps. We had a camp either side of Christmas and you could see that he was developing from the year before.
“Not too many kids at 18 can go to WAFL level and average two or three goals and take half a dozen marks as a power forward. I don’t like putting a lot of pressure on, but you’d think he would go in the top-five if not top-three right now.”
McDonald is one of a healthy crop of West Australian talent this year, with as many as five players considered potential top-20 selections.
South Australia also has no shortage of gems that have been given their chance to shine in the SANFL this year, while Tasmania, New South Wales and Queensland also have plenty of top-40 talent in a draft that is considered to be strong, particularly when it comes to key-position players.
“There’s good depth. It’s strong for key position,” one recruiter said.
“It’s a pretty good draft for a whole range of different types of players.”
25 OF THE BEST KIDS FROM OUTSIDE VICTORIA
LOGAN MCDONALD (PERTH/WA)
Forward
H: 196cm
W: 85kg
Has lifted his name on the draft boards of many clubs after an outstanding start to the WAFL season this year. From six games, the key forward has kicked 17 goals to lead the competition’s goalkicking table, while also averaging 13.2 disposals, five marks (2.8 contested) and 112 SuperCoach ranking points. A member of the Australian under-17 side last year, McDonald is mobile, a great mark above his head and has good goal sense. He also played three games for Western Australia at the under-18 national championships last year as a 17-year-old, rating above-average for ranking points (75 a game), score involvements (five a game) and goals (one a game).
RILEY THILTHORPE (WEST ADELAIDE/SOUTH AUSTRALIA)
Key forward
H: 201cm
W: 102kg
Widely considered South Australia’s best prospect this year, Thilthorpe is expected to be a top-five draft selection. The athletic key forward can also spend time in the ruck and has drawn comparisons to Collingwood star Brodie Grundy for his athleticism and ball-winning ability. From nine senior SANFL games this year, Thilthorpe has averaged 11.9 disposals, 4.1 marks (1.6 contested), 3.4 score involvements and kicked five goals despite often playing high up the ground as a marking target on a wing. Recruiters view Thilthorpe as a player with enormous upside.
DENVER GRAINGER-BARRAS (SWAN DISTRICTS/WESTERN AUSTRALIA)
Key defender
H: 195cm
W: 78kg
Like fellow West Australian product Logan McDonald, Grainger-Barras has impressed playing senior WAFL football this year. The backman has averaged 9.8 disposals, 4.3 marks, 6.8 intercept possessions, 4.5 spoils and 73 SuperCoach ranking points to rank as one of the best key defenders in the competition despite having only turned 18 in April. He reads the play well and is good one-on-one but is still considered a little skinny and is working to develop his and fill out his big frame. Grainger-Barras had also played two games for Western Australia as a bottom-age player at the under-18 national championships last year, averaging eight intercept possessions and five intercepts marks to rate elite in both categories.
BRAEDEN CAMPBELL (SWANS ACADEMY/ALLIES)
Midfielder
H: 179cm
W: 71kg
It is shaping as another bumper draft for Sydney, which could have a top-four pick as well as snapping up two highly rated Next Generation Academy members in Campbell and Errol Gulden. A talented midfielder, Campbell won the best-on-ground medal in the U17 All Stars game on AFL Grand Final Day last year with a 14-disposal and three-goal performance. The best-on-ground in the corresponding game in 2018 was none other than Gold Coast Suns gun Matt Rowell. Campbell joined the Swans Academy at under-11s level and recruiters see him as a player with elite attacking traits, genuine speed and a strong goal sense. He averaged 15.8 disposals, two goals and 123 SuperCoach ranking points from four NAB League games last year, while also impressing during three senior NEAFL matches late in the season.
LACHLAN JONES (POWER ACADEMY/WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS/SA)
Defender/midfielder
H: 185cm
W: 88kg
A member of Port Adelaide’s Next Generation Academy, Jones is expected to attract an early bid. A rebounding defender, he made his senior SANFL debut for Woodville-West Torrens in Round 1 this year and has not missed a game since. From his 10 matches he is averaging 11.3 disposals, 3.2 rebound 50s, 5.7 intercept possessions and 3.5 tackles. A penetrating and quality kick, Jones is also quick, strong and thrives in one-on-one contests. In the SANFL under-18s in 2019 he was the second-ranked defender in the league, rating elite for disposals (19.7 a game), intercept possessions (8.8 a game), contested possessions (10.2 a game) and spoils (3.5 a game).
NATHAN O’DRISCOLL (PERTH/WA)
Midfielder
H: 187cm
W: 76kg
A competitive beast in the midfield, O’Driscoll is continuing to take his game to new heights. He made his senior WAFL debut this year and was relatively quiet with seven disposals and one goal. But the very next week O’Driscoll came out and had 20 disposals (14 contested), as well as winning four clearances, six tackles and recording two score assists. There are still areas for O’Driscoll to work on, but his ball-winning ability and fierce tackling and pressure game has him in the conversation as a top-15 prospect. As a bottom-age player last year, he also played three games for WA at the under-18 national championships, ranking above average for contested possessions (eight a game), pressure points (58 a game) and tackles (6.7 a game).
ALEX DAVIES (GOLD COAST ACADEMY/CAIRNS/ALLIES)
H: 191cm
W: 85kg
Midfielder
A free kick for the Gold Coast Suns, who are able to automatically list this Academy talent before the draft under concessions they received in 2019. The Suns did the same thing with 2020 Rising Star nominee and long-time Academy member Connor Budarick last year. Davies has not had as much exposed form as some players this year due to an elbow injury which saw him miss the Northern Academy Series. However, recruiters still see him as a modern day big-bodied midfielder that every club would be interested in. Across four NAB League games in 2019, Davies showed his knack of winning the ball at stoppages and using it cleanly, averaging 18 disposals and 3.8 clearances. The former junior basketball star also played seven senior NEAFL games last year.
More to comeWestern Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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Re: 2020 draft watch
HEATH CHAPMAN (WEST PERTH/WA)
H: 193cm
W: 81kg
Key defender
Some have Chapman in the conversation to be a top-10 pick after taking huge strides forward with his game this year. Unlike some West Australian state Academy teammates, he is not playing senior WAFL football. However, the reason for that is put down to the fact West Perth is flying in second spot on the ladder. Instead captaining West Perth’s Colts team, Chapman is averaging 23 disposals, 7.5 marks, 10.5 intercept possessions and 4.8 spoils. He sits as the second-ranked player in the competition by the statisticians, averaging 139 SuperCoach ranking points. Injury was the only reason Chapman did not play for his state in the under-18 national championships last year, but he did feature in the under-17 All Stars game on AFL Grand Final day.
ERROL GULDEN (SYDNEY SWANS ACADEMY/ALLIES)
Midfielder/forward
H: 171cm
W: 71kg
The second of two talented members of the Sydney Swans Academy this year. A high-impact small forward or midfielder, Gulden has been a member of the Academy since under-11s. During the under-16 national championships in 2018 he was best afield against Northern Territory, logging 38 disposals and five goals in a match that put him on the map. While on the smaller side at just 171cm, recruiters like his competitive edge. Gulden played four games of the national under-18 championships as a bottom-age player last year, averaging 15 disposals, 3.8 inside-50s. 4.3 score involvements and kicking three goals. He also spent time last season playing senior NEAFL football and NAB League.
LUKE EDWARDS (GLENELG/SA)
Midfielder/defender
H: 187cm
W: 78kg
The son of Adelaide dual-premiership player Tyson Edwards — who played 321 games for the Crows — the younger Edwards is eligible as a father-son selection. However, he is yet to commit to Adelaide. Edwards caught the eye for South Australia as a bottom-age player at the under-18 national championships last year, averaging 18.8 disposals and 86 SuperCoach ranking points. He played the first three rounds in the under-18s for Glenelg this year but has since stepped up to make his senior SANFL debut in Round 7. Considered a smooth mover and elite decision maker who reads the play well, Edwards is hard-at-it and can also go forward and kick a goal.
JOEL JEFFREY (GOLD COAST SUNS ACADEMY/WANDERERS/NT)
Forward/defender
H: 192cm
W: 78kg
There are no shortage of clubs interested in Jeffrey, but the Suns will get first crack as a member of their Academy. The Darwin product is the son of Russell Jeffrey, who played 42 games for St Kilda and eight games for the Brisbane Bears between 1987 and 1992. Recruiters see the swingman as a special talent given his ability to play at either end of the ground and his marking ability and silky skills. Jeffrey made his senior NTFL debut for Wanderers at just age 16 in the 2018/19 season and continued his improvement last year. He averaged three marks, 2.7 intercept marks and 5.7 intercept possessions from three matches at the under-18 national championships in 2019.
ZANE TREW (SWAN DISTRICTS/WA)
Midfielder
H: 187cm
W: 78kg
The tough inside midfielder logged 41 disposals (21 contested), six clearances and 10 tackles in his last game of 2019 in the WAFL Colts before a shoulder injury ended his season. However, that has not put recruiters off, with Trew still considered a potential first-round pick. Likened to Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, Trew has bounced back to play five WAFL Colts games so far this year. He is averaging 24.2 disposals, 4.8 clearances, 5.2 tackles and 113 SuperCoach ranking points. A good size for a modern midfielder and classy by hand and foot, Trew is seen by some as an ultimate professional who works hard and loves the contest.
KAINE BALDWIN (GLENELG/SA)
Key forward
H: 194cm
W: 93kg
On talent, Baldwin is seen as one of the best in this year’s draft pool. But he is expected to slip down the order a little due to injury, with a second knee reconstruction in as many years wiping out his 2020 campaign. Baldwin has been on the radar of many clubs since he captained South Australia in the under-16 national championships in 2018 and averaged 15 disposals, 6.7 marks, 117 SuperCoach ranking points and kicked six goals from three games. Likened to Richmond’s Tom Lynch, Baldwin is an elite runner with strong hands and also boasts leadership skills. But how AFL clubs view him now given the injury history remains to be seen.
JACK CARROLL (EAST FREMANTLE/WA)
Midfielder
H: 188cm
W: 79kg
Yet another West Australian product in the mix to be a top-30 pick and potentially even first-round selection. Carroll is a consistent, composed and makes good decisions. He has also taken his game to another level this year. The midfielder has played six WAFL Colts games for East Fremantle, averaging 24 disposals, 5.3 clearances, six score involvements and 130 SuperCoach ranking points. The numbers put Carroll as the fourth-ranked player in the under-18s competition this year and a Round 7 game in which he logged 31 disposals, eight clearances, seven score involvements and kicked two goals certainly helped further push his case as a top prospect.
COREY DURDIN (CENTRAL DISTRICTS/SA)
Forward/midfielder
H: 172cm
W: 71kg
Durdin won the Kevin Sheehan Medal as the best player at the 2018 under-16 national championships and has continued to grow and develop as a player ever since. While on the smaller side, he makes up for what he lacks in height with elite skills, clean hands and an excellent ability to win contests at ground level. Durdin models his game on former North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey and has an explosiveness in the way he plays. He played three games for South Australia as a bottom-age player at the under-18 national championships last year, averaging 7.3 disposals, four tackles and kicking four goals. He has spent this year playing senior SANFL football and is averaging 11.3 disposals, three marks, 3.4 score involvements and 0.9 goals from eight games
ZAC DUMESNY (SOUTH ADELAIDE/SA)
Midfielder/Defender
H: 188cm
W: 80kg
An ankle injury has interrupted Dumesny’s season, which had started a little up and down playing senior SANFL football. But he remains a highly-rated player who is composed, classy, great in the air and reads the play well. A ball-winning but largely outside midfielder now, Dumesny is seen as a player who could eventually become a quality rebounding halfback at AFL level. From six senior SANFL games this year he has averaged 13.7 disposals, 5.7 marks and 2.8 score involvements.
OLIVER DAVIS (CLARENCE/TASMANIA DEVILS/ALLIES)
Midfielder
H: 182cm
W: 75kg
A midfield bull, Davis is attracting a bit of interest after being among the best-performing bottom-age players in the country last year. One of three co-captains for the Tasmanian Devils, Davis played 13 NAB League games and was a runaway winner of the NAB League side’s best-and-fairest award. Strong and agile in the contest, the onballer rated elite last season for total ranking points (130 a game), clearances (5.5 a game) and tackles (7.8 a game). He has again caught the eye of recruiters while playing senior football in the Tasmanian State League this year and has been named among the best players for Clarence in three of his six games.
TOM POWELL (STURT/SA)
Midfielder
H: 180cm
W: 70kg
The son of former Adelaide player Matthew Powell, who played 16 games for the Crows before becoming a premiership player for Sturt. After an injury-riddled past two years, the ball magnet is finally fit and firing and has already been interviewed by all 18 AFL clubs, such is the interest. Clean and great in traffic, Powell has yet to earn a senior SANFL debut but has been tearing up the under-18 competition. From nine games this year, he has averaged 37.3 disposals, 5.8 inside-50s, 9.1 clearances, 10.7 score involvements and 4.3 tackles. He has also booted seven goals and logged 15 score assists. The numbers have Powell as the top-ranked player in the competition, averaging 166 SuperCoach ranking points.
CALEB POULTER (WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS/SA)
Midfielder/forward
H: 191cm
W: 74kg
Poulter is a unique player who can rack up the ball through the midfield but is also a strong overhead mark in attack. His long left-foot kick is a major strength and he has improved his contested ball work at ground level. Poulter has played nine SANFL under-18s games this year, averaging 25.9 disposals, 5.8 marks, four clearances and 0.9 goals a game. He is the third-ranked player in the competition for total output, averaging 137 SuperCoach ranking points to attract high levels of interest from AFL clubs.
JACKSON CALLOW (NORTH LAUNCESTON/TASMANIAN DEVILS/ALLIES)
Key forward
H: 193cm
W: 94kg
A mobile and agile key forward, Callow is quick on his feet and strong above his head. He proved to be one of the best bottom-age key forwards in the NAB League last season, kicking 24 goals from 14 games while also ranking elite for disposals (13.5 a game), contested marks (2.7 a game) and forward-50 marks (3.1 a game). Callow has stepped up to senior football in the Tasmanian State League this year and continues to impress, kicking eight goals from seven matches and being named among North Launceston’s two best players on the ground on three separate occasions.
BRANDON WALKER (FREMANTLE ACADEMY/EAST FREMANTLE/WA)
Defender
H: 184cm
W: 75kg
A rebounding half-back flanker, Walker possesses serious speed, has a great vertical leap and is considered by some to be a top-40 pick or higher. He reads the play well and has been going nicely in the WAFL Colts, averaging 18.8 disposals, five marks, 5.3 intercept possessions and 2.3 tackles a game. A member of Fremantle’s Next Generation Academy — which produced classy forward Liam Henry last year — Walker has been on the radar of many since earning All-Australian honours at under-16 level.
JOEL WESTERN (FREMANTLE ACADEMY/CLAREMONT/WA)
Midfielder
H: 172cm
W: 67kg
Another Next Generation Academy member for the Dockers, Western is a wingman or onballer who is also producing a strong season at WAFL Colts level. He played in the under-17 All Stars match on AFL Grand Final Day last year and is an exciting player who possesses speed and agility. Western has played four under-18 games for Claremont this season, averaging 22 disposals, 3.5 clearances, 4.8 inside 50s and one goal a game.
SAM COLLINS (NORTH HOBART/TASMANIAN DEVILS/ALLIES)
Defender
H: 188cm
W: 85kg
A defender who has been likened to Geelong’s Tom Stewart given his ability to read the ball well and, more importantly, intercept it. He is reliable one-on-one and will drop off where needed to help a teammate. Collins played 13 NAB League games last season and ranked elite for disposals (17.4 a game), marks (5.4 a game) and intercept marks (2.1 a game). He has played seven games of senior football in the Tasmanian State League this year and continues to improve.
PATRICK WALKER (NORTH HOBART/TASMANIAN DEVILS/ALLIES)
Defender
H: 186cm
W: 80kg
A rebounding defender, Walker is a clever ball user who can also play a role on a wing and shapes as one of the Apple Isle’s hottest talents this year. In his bottom-age year in the NAB League in 2019, Walker played all 16 games and averaged 16.6 disposals, 5.5 rebound 50s, 3.8 marks and 4.7 intercept possessions. He has been a consistent performer playing senior Tasmanian State League football this year and was best afield for North Hobart against Lauderdale in Round 8.
JARED DAKIN (LAUNCESTON/TASMANIAN DEVILS/ALLIES)
Midfielder
H: 182cm
W: 88kg
One of the older players still playing underage football, Dakin was eligible for last year’s draft but shoulder surgery in November 2018 wiped out most of his 2019 season. One of three co-captains for the Tasmanian Devils last year, he returned for only the final game of NAB League season but hit the ground running to record 25 disposals (12 contested), eight clearances, eight score involvements and kick one goal. An endurance athlete who can run all day, the 19-year-old has played all eight senior games for the ladder-leading Launceston in the Tasmanian State League and has caught the eye on more than one occasion.Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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Re: 2020 draft watch
Have a look for Jackson Callow from Tas. His details are above in the 25 players from outside of Vic list
195cm tall and can play bother ends of the ground. Very much a mark and kick player but with a bit of work he could become a solid AFL playerWestern Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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Re: 2020 draft watch
Article on leading ruck prospect Henry Walsh
HENRY Walsh is on an hour lunch break. He woke at 6am this morning to head to the beef farm he works at full-time in Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula, and he will go back there shortly to check if any of the cows are calving.
Then Walsh will duck back home to watch Carlton play, with older brother Sam enjoying another strong season after being last year's NAB AFL Rising Star.
Every day throws up something new for the 18-year-old, a ruckman pushing to get his own chance at this year's AFL draft.
"We've had some twin calves the last few days, so we make sure both of them are getting a drink from their mother. That takes a bit of time and patience, but it's whatever jobs pop up for the day," he said.
Walsh has been working up a sweat for a while now. After leaving school last year to pursue an agriculture traineeship, he landed a full-time job at the end of 2019.
That was in the farm's busiest period, with the teenager working 80-hour weeks through his Geelong Falcons pre-season. He had planned to cut that back once games got closer, but with COVID-19 seeing the NAB League cancelled for 2020, Walsh has remained busy, regularly putting in 50 hours a week.
"We breed prized bulls and try to sell them off. They're a good dollar sometimes," he said.
"All my friends and aunties and uncles are on farms, and since I could walk I'd be on the farm or sitting on the tractor. I watched tractor videos as a kid and my passion grew. I've loved farming and being outside and working."
He's also loved footy. His time on the farm has meant for incidental training throughout this grim season for Victorian prospects, with the 202cm Walsh adding some weight to his frame and improving his fitness. He even got in one game for Cobden before that season was shut down, too.
"Everyone's pissed off about it, but it is what it is, you can't really change anything. Everyone in Victoria is in the same boat. It would've been good to get back playing footy," he said.
"Last year I put myself in a good position to make a great couple of years in the NAB League. This year I'm disappointed I can't go out and play footy with my mates."
Walsh entered the year as one of the crop's leading ruck prospects. He played for Vic Country last season as a bottom-ager, faced New Zealand for the NAB AFL Academy and ran out on the MCG on Grand Final day as part of the NAB AFL All Stars game. In between, he showed his physicality and competitiveness in the role for the Falcons.
"I like competing in the air, but when the ball hits the ground I'm also following up and trying to get involved there. I can move around the ground. I'm really aggressive, I go for the ball as hard as I can and I get competitive real easy," he said.
The differences in the Walsh brothers aren't only in size, although after Henry trained at Carlton for a week last year he did notice a different side to his older brother.
"He's a very serious person when he's doing something and he loves to do everything at 100 per cent. I probably learned a bit from him in how he goes along at training, how he switches on and focuses and trains his heart out for it," Henry said.
"When he was around the boys at Carlton I saw a different side to him sometimes. He actually tried to be that class clown a little bit, which I don't really see around Sam sometimes. I just sat back and smiled, I liked it."
Sam returned home to live with his family during footy's shutdown period and the pair trained together at the local oval, with father Wayne throwing the ball up for Henry to practice his hitouts and Sam to perfect his groundballs. They occasionally grapple for a strength test and have had some honest feedback for each other along the way.
"He'd tell me straight about things, which is good, and I'd do the same for him. I didn't have to do it much for him, though. Only when we were out the farm, he goes a little fast on the motorbike. It's dangerous," Henry said.
The thought of playing alongside Sam at Carlton has crossed Walsh's mind. When he trained with the Blues, Walsh asked Ed Curnow about playing in the same side as his brother Charlie.
"He said 'You fight a lot at training, but then when you're on the field you don't let anyone hurt each other'," Walsh said.
"I reckon Sam and I would be a good match up. Sam would be able to read my taps a bit better because he's grown up watching them, and I can tap it to the spots he actually really likes after being tapping it to him for a bit at home."
And what about if he's on the opposing side?
"I'd probably have to try and line him up a couple of times if that was the case and throw my body into him," Walsh said.
"Either way it'd just be amazing."Listening to Brahm's 3rd RacketComment
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Re: 2020 draft watch
Another Cobden boy. That will make eight in the AFL system from a town of around 1,900 people.
I worked at the footy club for a night and they were one of the best groups of people you could imagine. I wouldn't draft a Cobden boy to a non-Vic club though as "they all come home".
I don't expect Sean Darcy to finish his career at Fremantle.Western Bulldogs: 2016 PremiersComment
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