An early christmas present for you draft nerds out there. These are my personal favourite players for next year plus a few guys which I think can play some decent football next year.
Sam Petrevski-Seton
Claremont Tigers/Western Australia
Balanced Midfielder/Medium Forward
Height: 180 cm Weight: 73 kg D.O.B: 19/2/98
If there is a player who is to die for it's this kid. Sam Petrevski-Seton is a classy balanced midfielder who can go forward in stints. Last year he absolutely destroyed the u16 Championships averaging 21 disposals, five clearances and kicked a total of seven goals for the tournament. This year he averaged 14 disposals and laid four tackles a game in the u18 Championships showing his class and proving himself to be the best West Australian talent since Jack Martin. This impact had him selected in the u18 All Australian team, the only player from Western Australia to do so this year. He has also made his WAFL senior debut for Claremont, although he wasn’t prolific, he didn’t look out of place against the senior bodies. Petrevski-Seton’s best tool is his kicking which is elite, and I don’t say this lightly. On both sides of the body he hits targets lace out, weighing his kicks to perfection and is a solid goal kicker on the run and in a set shot at goal. His kicks are so good in fact Kevin Sheehan thought he was he was a left footer until he was told he was a right footer. His defensive pressure is another thing that makes him really stand out. He tackles like a madman. He’s up there with the best prospect defensively despite his offensive dominance at practically all levels he plays. Sam has also got some of the best evasive moves I’ve seen at u18 level. He turns players inside out then makes them look like uncoordinated idiots. His smooth moves are so highly rated that he’s drawn comparisons to Bruce Mcavaney’s love child Cyril Rioli. Probably the only knock I have on him is that he doesn’t gather mass amounts of disposal, but that really doesn’t matter because his 15 disposals is better than most players 25. He’s silky, strong and would be by far the best prospect next year.
Ben Ainsworth
Gippsland Power/Vic Country
Small Forward/Inside Midfielder
Height: 177 cm Weight: 73 kg D.O.B: 10/2/98
The Gippsland Power has a real gem in young Ainsworth. At the u18 Championships he kicked 15 goals as a small forward and created havoc for up forward with the Vic Country team leading to his selection in the u18 All Australian team in a forward pocket. Ainsworth is a Small Forward who is really bouncy and has a real contested edge to him. One of his strengths and the thing that makes him the most elusive is his ability to win one-on-one contests and take high marks. This very skill set has drawn him comparisons to Collingwood frequent flyer Jamie Elliott. He also gets his teammates into the game with his great foot skills averaging two goal assists a game, the second highest of a bottom age prospect in the u18 Championships. He also had an average of 13 disposals, four marks and two inside 50’s a game at the Carnival. At club level he has shown he can move up the ground and provide some grunt on the inside. He averaged 17 disposals, four marks, four tackles and one goal per game for the Gippsland Power. When he plays in the midfield he is a force to contend with and has some Rockliff like traits as a midfielder. This work he has done at club level has also gained him selection in the TAC Cup team of the year, following in the footsteps of Vic Country teammate Darcy Parish, and won the Gippsland Power’s joint Best and Fairest. One of the main weaknesses I see is that he probably he doesn’t gather much of the football in the midfield, but that won’t matter long term because he can go forward, kick a bag and damage the opposition there. Ben Ainsworth is a mercurial on the ground, a weapon in the air, a beast on the inside of a contest and a top prospect for next year's draft.
Jacob Allison
Aspley Hornets/Brisbane Academy/Queensland
Tall Utility
Height: 193 cm Weight: 73 kg D.O.B: 16/4/98
Brisbane will be licking their lips at the sight of Allison. Jacob is a true utility type with his height, footskills and marking prowess. Allison averaged 18 disposals, taken five marks per game, three of which are contested during the u18 Championships. This dominance has lead him to be selected in the u18 All Australian team on the interchange bench and lead him to be selected in the AFL Academy for the second year in a row. In the TAC cup competition for the Queensland Scorpions he has dominated by gathering on average 21 disposals per outing and shown his great work rate by collecting eight handball receives per game. This is a testament to his hard work and shouldn’t be underrated. In my opinion Allison’s greatest strength is his kicking, which is close to the best in the draft. He’s a super boot alright. He can kick 50 meters easily and has penetration like no other kick. Another asset is his ability to play all around the ground. This year he has mainly found his home at half forward but he can play on a wing and even off halfback using his great kick. There is also potential to play in the midfield in the future and use his size and play as big bodied midfielder like a Bontempelli or Mundy. He’s even tall enough to play key position if need be. If Allison wants to take his game to the next level he would need to not fade away in games like he does at times this year. Allsion can be really impactful for a long stretches of time then he can go missing for time. If he could improve his consistency I think he could become a real competitor for the top five in next year's draft. We can talk about Allison as much as we want but the fact is he’s going to the Lions as an Academy selection in 2016.
Jordan Gallucci
Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro
Outside Midfielder/Medium Defender
Height: 182 cm Weight: 73 kg D.O.B: 4/5/98
Silky is the one word I would describe this kid. Jordan is an outside midfielder and a skillful running half back. Last year he was the Vic Metro MVP and had gained selection into the AIS Academy. Little did he know that this year he would play some great games for Vic Metro and at the Eastern Ranges. In u18’s Championships he averaged 14 disposals at a 70 per cent efficiency playing as an outside midfielder. He played his best game against Western Australia when he gathered 17 disposals and put all the recruiters on show with his ability to step through contested situations and find the right options. At Eastern he wasn’t as prolific but that will change when Galluci get more midfield minutes for the Eastern Ranges. At the moment his best skill is his composure under pressure. At times he can look like he slows down time allowing him to execute his skills to perfection. Gallucci is also supremely athletic with his 20 meter sprint times under three-seconds and his vertical jump up there with the best in his class. Although he has great composure we can see he sometimes tries to do to much with the ball and gets caught. In the TAC cup grand final I saw Gallucci struggle with the pressure of the game and in the end it was performance I wouldn’t be seeing as his best. Gallucci in a whole is classy ball user who composes himself under pressure and makes the right decision most of the time. A true smooth mover.
Jarrod Berry
North Ballarat Rebels/Vic Country
Medium Defender/Key Defender
Height: 190 cm Weight: 80 kg D.O.B: 5/2/98
The best defender in the draft crop. Jarrod Berry is a rebounding medium defender who can play on both smalls and talls. This year starred as the half back at both the u18 Championships and at the North Ballarat Rebels. At TAC Cup level he dominated the half back flank in the strongest team. He averaged 16 disposals, five marks and five tackles a game on a half-back flank and wing. He then carried this form into the u18 Championships and dominated. He showed his ability to play a quarter back role going forward. He used his great kick and speed to set up games and create havoc. He averaged 19 disposals, five marks at 86% efficiency in six games at the u18 Championships. This form lead him to be selected in u18 All Australian team next to the likes of Jacob Weitering and Riley Bonner in the backline. Jarrod’s greatest asset is his reading of the play. He see on multiple occasions he zones off well, fills holes then pounces to take those intercept possessions. This reading of the play and his kicking ability allow him to play a quarterback role which I expect he could play at the next level. His kicking was also extremely impressive for a player who has to set up the play. Jarrod cuts games open, setting up great passages of play. Although his kicking may seem risky, it usually pays off because of how sound his action is. The reason I think he doesn’t get talked as much as other prospects is because that he gathers most of his possessions in uncontested situations. You can see Jarrod sometimes avoid trying to win the ball only to become a seagull on the outside on the pack. If he could improve this he could become a great prospect. The bottom line is that if a team wants a hybrid defender who can read the play and use his kick to set up play, then Jarrod Berry is your man.
Jonty Scharenberg
Glenelg Tigers/South Australia
Inside Midfielder
Height: 185 cm Weight: 77 kg D.O.B: 28/8/98
The best South Australian prospect tag belongs to this kid. Jonty Scharenberg, brother of Collingwood’s Matt, is an inside midfielder who can can go forward on occasion. This year Jonty has put his name up there with the best when it comes to weight of numbers. He started his year by playing in the SANFL reserves where he was dominant. He averaged 28 disposals, seven marks, six clearances and four inside 50’s. He also kicked four goals in his five games at this level highlighting his goalkicking prowess. This form got him a debut at senior SANFL level. He only played two games but for him to play SANFL seniors at such at a young age was great to see. Then it came to the u18 Championships. Jonty played as a half forward mainly averaging 14 disposals, three marks, three clearances and three inside 50’s in a strong South Australia side. He showed everyone that he is a top talent and made everyone take note. Jonty’s best talent is his ability to hit the scoreboard from the midfield. He isn’t the type of player that you can just sit one out in the square but he has the workrate to create an option forward from the midfield. He always seems in the forward line on the end of plays and use his goal kicking skill which is very good rate for midfielders. Jonty is also extremely skilled for a player who plays on the inside. He has an ability to execute his skills to perfection when under pressure and doesn’t look to fazed when he has to dispose in traffic. This is evident from his disposal efficiency which is at an elite 75%. The problem that Scharenberg is facing is that he prefers to use his hands instead of moving the game forward with his great kicking. At times it looks like Scharenberg is automatically looking for the handball instead of trying to find a kick. This can slow down the play and makes things harder for his forwards. Scharenberg is a good midfielder who has all the traits to become a star AFL player.
Sam Powell-Pepper
East Perth Royals/Western Australia
Medium Utility
Height: 188 cm Weight: 83 kg D.O.B: 8/1/98
If you want a big bodied midfielder who can play all around the ground the Sam is your man. Sam Powell-Pepper is a versatile inside midfielder in the Patrick Cripps mould who thrives on the contest and has leadership potential. This year he has shown what he can do in spades playing as a medium defender who can go into the midfield in stints. This year he averaged 14 disposals and four marks in five games for the Western Australian u18’s. He showed recruiter his contested edge, his leadership and his ability to play all around the ground. Sam’s greatest strength is his ability to win the contest possessions and do damage at the clearances. His ability to position himself well at the contest and break tackles make him a handful for opposition midfielders. His best performance for the carnival came in the very last round when he had 20 disposals, three marks and three clearances. He was breaking every tackle that came close to him and was fending off players like Dustin Martin. Sam Powell-Pepper is also a natural leader captaining the u15 Boomerangs, u16 Western Australia and the u17 AFL Academy in New Zealand. Sam is the type of player who carries his teammates to get the win. He is inspiring for teammates and I would expect him to captain again next year. Even though he’s a dominant midfielder his disposal can be quite shaky at times. His disposal efficiency was at a low 55 per cent, the lowest of a bottom age prospect who gather ten plus disposals on average. He also had 16 clanger for the tournament which puts him up with the worst at the carnival. If he could improve his efficiency and get rid of those clangers, we might see him get some purchase on the hard work he does on the inside. In a nutshell Sam Powell-Pepper is a natural born leader who wins the contested possession like no other.
William Brodie
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
Inside Midfielder
Height: 187 cm Weight: 80 kg D.O.B: 23/8/98
The best inside midfielder in next year's draft is this kid. Will Brodie is an inside midfielder who has probably the best rounded game of an inside midfielder. Earlier in the year he played his best game against the New Zealand hawks playing in the midfield. He dominated the clearances, kicked three goals and put him in the top bracket of footballers in the draft class. Then in the TAC cup he averaged the most disposals of any bottom age player. He averaged 20 disposals and eight handball receives a game, second for bottom agers, In a strong Murray Bushrangers side. At the u18 Championships he averaged close to the most disposals as a bottom ager, second only to Jarrod Berry. His best performance coming against his Vic Metro rivals in round three, with 20 disposals, four tackles, three clearances and a goal. He averaged 15 disposals, two clearances and three tackles for the tournament. Brodies best tool is his clearance work. This is where he makes his money and where he impacts the most. He uses his big frame to push opposition under the ball, wins the ball then gives the ball off to his outside runners. He also is a true modern midfielders body. Brodie at 187 cm, 80 kg is already a massive kid and can only grow from here. He got the best side step of any midfielder of the draft, is six foot two and bashes and crashes through opponents, traits modern midfielders need. The main problem he has is his disposal efficiency. His disposal efficiency during the u18 Championships hovered around the 55 mark and at the Murray Bushrangers was at 64% efficiency, quite poor for any player. Another query I have is his versatility. If Brodie want to become a great inside midfielder he might need to go play one out forward, Dustin Martin style. If he can learn to play more forward he could place himself in the top five player in this draft. Brodie is a beast, clean and simple. With Brodie you know what you're going to get as a player and if he can play more forward could become a force to contend with.
Jy Simpkin
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
Small Forward/Balanced Midfielder
Height: 181 cm Weight: 71 kg D.O.B: 5/3/98
Bouncy is the probably the most accurate way to describe this lad. Simpkin is the second best small forward in the draft and he sure has some tricks. This year he came out with a vengeance after not being selected in the AIS Academy Level 1 squad this year. He kicked 14 goals in ten games for the Bushrangers as a high half-forward and created havoc up the ground. He averaged 17 disposals, three marks and five tackles in a strong Bushrangers team. This lead him to be selected in the u18 Vic Country squad where he showed his class alongside Ben Ainsworth. In the first game this duo was apparent when Ainsworth set up Simpkin for the match winning goal to win over Vic Metro and he continued to impress throughout the whole carnival. His best performance came in the last round when he had 20 disposals, five inside 50’s and set up his teammates twice. This was a dominant performance and one Jy hopes he can replicate consistently. Jy’s best trait I feel is his way he doesn’t get taken out of games easily. Jy is the type of player who will find a way to make a positive difference to his team. Whether it's laying a tackle, kicking some goals or using his sublime skills to set up his teammates, he doesn't lose his temperament. His other asset is his ability to create run on the outside and also get down and dirty. This trait allows him not to be pigeon holed to be an outside player like most half-forwards are. The main problem I see is that he’s not going to be a clearance king or a beast around the stoppages. This may deter him from being drafted as a inside mid but his impact in practically every position might not deter clubs. Simpkin is the type of player who can go up the ground and gather mass amounts of possession, kick ridiculous goals up forward and set up his teammates with class and poise.
Harrison Macreadie
GWS Academy/NSW-ACT
Key Defender
Height: 195 cm Weight: 82 kg D.O.B: 11/4/98
Far and away the best Key Defender of next year's AFL draft. Harrison Macreadie is a rebounding key defender in the Tom McDonald mould who has impressed at both TAC Cup and u18 Championships level. This year his draft stocks have skyrocketed to become a potential top five candidate. This has no doubt to be caused by his TAC cup form which earned him three morrish medal votes, third in the NSW-ACT side. He was skillful, speedy and jaw dropping the way he went about his football. This was no different in the u18 Championships where he was a candidate for the u18 All Australian side and if not for Kieran Collins and Jacob Weitering probably would have been selected. He was selling candy, penetrating his kicks and creating run from the back half, something the NSW-ACT side lacked. He averaged 13 disposals, three marks, one inside 50 at an elite 81% efficiency during the Carnival. The thing that makes Harrison Macreadie so good in my opinion is his mobility. At 195 cm he’s the tallest key position player in the AIS AFL Academy and he moves like a wingman. In fact at times has made runs like one during the year. This is so prominent he has drawn comparisons to running key defender Tom McDonald from the Melbourne Football Club. Harry is also extremely composed in traffic. At times during the year he looks like the play slows down, allowing for Harry to deliver the football to his teammates. He dodges tackles using his strong core and uses his height allowing him to get loose in tackles and deliver to his outside runners by hand. Harrison as a prospect is extremely solid and doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. The thing I would like to see from Harrison Macreadie is to go forward in stints. This year we saw both Kieran Collins, Jacob Weitering and Ben McKay go forward at times, switching from there key position posts. If Harrison Macreadie can go forward and use his clearly dominant athletic traits then I think he could cement himself as one of the best players at the draft. Although Harry has many fans, he will be a Giant no doubt and won’t they be happy to have him on board out west.
Sam Petrevski-Seton
Claremont Tigers/Western Australia
Balanced Midfielder/Medium Forward
Height: 180 cm Weight: 73 kg D.O.B: 19/2/98
If there is a player who is to die for it's this kid. Sam Petrevski-Seton is a classy balanced midfielder who can go forward in stints. Last year he absolutely destroyed the u16 Championships averaging 21 disposals, five clearances and kicked a total of seven goals for the tournament. This year he averaged 14 disposals and laid four tackles a game in the u18 Championships showing his class and proving himself to be the best West Australian talent since Jack Martin. This impact had him selected in the u18 All Australian team, the only player from Western Australia to do so this year. He has also made his WAFL senior debut for Claremont, although he wasn’t prolific, he didn’t look out of place against the senior bodies. Petrevski-Seton’s best tool is his kicking which is elite, and I don’t say this lightly. On both sides of the body he hits targets lace out, weighing his kicks to perfection and is a solid goal kicker on the run and in a set shot at goal. His kicks are so good in fact Kevin Sheehan thought he was he was a left footer until he was told he was a right footer. His defensive pressure is another thing that makes him really stand out. He tackles like a madman. He’s up there with the best prospect defensively despite his offensive dominance at practically all levels he plays. Sam has also got some of the best evasive moves I’ve seen at u18 level. He turns players inside out then makes them look like uncoordinated idiots. His smooth moves are so highly rated that he’s drawn comparisons to Bruce Mcavaney’s love child Cyril Rioli. Probably the only knock I have on him is that he doesn’t gather mass amounts of disposal, but that really doesn’t matter because his 15 disposals is better than most players 25. He’s silky, strong and would be by far the best prospect next year.
Ben Ainsworth
Gippsland Power/Vic Country
Small Forward/Inside Midfielder
Height: 177 cm Weight: 73 kg D.O.B: 10/2/98
The Gippsland Power has a real gem in young Ainsworth. At the u18 Championships he kicked 15 goals as a small forward and created havoc for up forward with the Vic Country team leading to his selection in the u18 All Australian team in a forward pocket. Ainsworth is a Small Forward who is really bouncy and has a real contested edge to him. One of his strengths and the thing that makes him the most elusive is his ability to win one-on-one contests and take high marks. This very skill set has drawn him comparisons to Collingwood frequent flyer Jamie Elliott. He also gets his teammates into the game with his great foot skills averaging two goal assists a game, the second highest of a bottom age prospect in the u18 Championships. He also had an average of 13 disposals, four marks and two inside 50’s a game at the Carnival. At club level he has shown he can move up the ground and provide some grunt on the inside. He averaged 17 disposals, four marks, four tackles and one goal per game for the Gippsland Power. When he plays in the midfield he is a force to contend with and has some Rockliff like traits as a midfielder. This work he has done at club level has also gained him selection in the TAC Cup team of the year, following in the footsteps of Vic Country teammate Darcy Parish, and won the Gippsland Power’s joint Best and Fairest. One of the main weaknesses I see is that he probably he doesn’t gather much of the football in the midfield, but that won’t matter long term because he can go forward, kick a bag and damage the opposition there. Ben Ainsworth is a mercurial on the ground, a weapon in the air, a beast on the inside of a contest and a top prospect for next year's draft.
Jacob Allison
Aspley Hornets/Brisbane Academy/Queensland
Tall Utility
Height: 193 cm Weight: 73 kg D.O.B: 16/4/98
Brisbane will be licking their lips at the sight of Allison. Jacob is a true utility type with his height, footskills and marking prowess. Allison averaged 18 disposals, taken five marks per game, three of which are contested during the u18 Championships. This dominance has lead him to be selected in the u18 All Australian team on the interchange bench and lead him to be selected in the AFL Academy for the second year in a row. In the TAC cup competition for the Queensland Scorpions he has dominated by gathering on average 21 disposals per outing and shown his great work rate by collecting eight handball receives per game. This is a testament to his hard work and shouldn’t be underrated. In my opinion Allison’s greatest strength is his kicking, which is close to the best in the draft. He’s a super boot alright. He can kick 50 meters easily and has penetration like no other kick. Another asset is his ability to play all around the ground. This year he has mainly found his home at half forward but he can play on a wing and even off halfback using his great kick. There is also potential to play in the midfield in the future and use his size and play as big bodied midfielder like a Bontempelli or Mundy. He’s even tall enough to play key position if need be. If Allison wants to take his game to the next level he would need to not fade away in games like he does at times this year. Allsion can be really impactful for a long stretches of time then he can go missing for time. If he could improve his consistency I think he could become a real competitor for the top five in next year's draft. We can talk about Allison as much as we want but the fact is he’s going to the Lions as an Academy selection in 2016.
Jordan Gallucci
Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro
Outside Midfielder/Medium Defender
Height: 182 cm Weight: 73 kg D.O.B: 4/5/98
Silky is the one word I would describe this kid. Jordan is an outside midfielder and a skillful running half back. Last year he was the Vic Metro MVP and had gained selection into the AIS Academy. Little did he know that this year he would play some great games for Vic Metro and at the Eastern Ranges. In u18’s Championships he averaged 14 disposals at a 70 per cent efficiency playing as an outside midfielder. He played his best game against Western Australia when he gathered 17 disposals and put all the recruiters on show with his ability to step through contested situations and find the right options. At Eastern he wasn’t as prolific but that will change when Galluci get more midfield minutes for the Eastern Ranges. At the moment his best skill is his composure under pressure. At times he can look like he slows down time allowing him to execute his skills to perfection. Gallucci is also supremely athletic with his 20 meter sprint times under three-seconds and his vertical jump up there with the best in his class. Although he has great composure we can see he sometimes tries to do to much with the ball and gets caught. In the TAC cup grand final I saw Gallucci struggle with the pressure of the game and in the end it was performance I wouldn’t be seeing as his best. Gallucci in a whole is classy ball user who composes himself under pressure and makes the right decision most of the time. A true smooth mover.
Jarrod Berry
North Ballarat Rebels/Vic Country
Medium Defender/Key Defender
Height: 190 cm Weight: 80 kg D.O.B: 5/2/98
The best defender in the draft crop. Jarrod Berry is a rebounding medium defender who can play on both smalls and talls. This year starred as the half back at both the u18 Championships and at the North Ballarat Rebels. At TAC Cup level he dominated the half back flank in the strongest team. He averaged 16 disposals, five marks and five tackles a game on a half-back flank and wing. He then carried this form into the u18 Championships and dominated. He showed his ability to play a quarter back role going forward. He used his great kick and speed to set up games and create havoc. He averaged 19 disposals, five marks at 86% efficiency in six games at the u18 Championships. This form lead him to be selected in u18 All Australian team next to the likes of Jacob Weitering and Riley Bonner in the backline. Jarrod’s greatest asset is his reading of the play. He see on multiple occasions he zones off well, fills holes then pounces to take those intercept possessions. This reading of the play and his kicking ability allow him to play a quarterback role which I expect he could play at the next level. His kicking was also extremely impressive for a player who has to set up the play. Jarrod cuts games open, setting up great passages of play. Although his kicking may seem risky, it usually pays off because of how sound his action is. The reason I think he doesn’t get talked as much as other prospects is because that he gathers most of his possessions in uncontested situations. You can see Jarrod sometimes avoid trying to win the ball only to become a seagull on the outside on the pack. If he could improve this he could become a great prospect. The bottom line is that if a team wants a hybrid defender who can read the play and use his kick to set up play, then Jarrod Berry is your man.
Jonty Scharenberg
Glenelg Tigers/South Australia
Inside Midfielder
Height: 185 cm Weight: 77 kg D.O.B: 28/8/98
The best South Australian prospect tag belongs to this kid. Jonty Scharenberg, brother of Collingwood’s Matt, is an inside midfielder who can can go forward on occasion. This year Jonty has put his name up there with the best when it comes to weight of numbers. He started his year by playing in the SANFL reserves where he was dominant. He averaged 28 disposals, seven marks, six clearances and four inside 50’s. He also kicked four goals in his five games at this level highlighting his goalkicking prowess. This form got him a debut at senior SANFL level. He only played two games but for him to play SANFL seniors at such at a young age was great to see. Then it came to the u18 Championships. Jonty played as a half forward mainly averaging 14 disposals, three marks, three clearances and three inside 50’s in a strong South Australia side. He showed everyone that he is a top talent and made everyone take note. Jonty’s best talent is his ability to hit the scoreboard from the midfield. He isn’t the type of player that you can just sit one out in the square but he has the workrate to create an option forward from the midfield. He always seems in the forward line on the end of plays and use his goal kicking skill which is very good rate for midfielders. Jonty is also extremely skilled for a player who plays on the inside. He has an ability to execute his skills to perfection when under pressure and doesn’t look to fazed when he has to dispose in traffic. This is evident from his disposal efficiency which is at an elite 75%. The problem that Scharenberg is facing is that he prefers to use his hands instead of moving the game forward with his great kicking. At times it looks like Scharenberg is automatically looking for the handball instead of trying to find a kick. This can slow down the play and makes things harder for his forwards. Scharenberg is a good midfielder who has all the traits to become a star AFL player.
Sam Powell-Pepper
East Perth Royals/Western Australia
Medium Utility
Height: 188 cm Weight: 83 kg D.O.B: 8/1/98
If you want a big bodied midfielder who can play all around the ground the Sam is your man. Sam Powell-Pepper is a versatile inside midfielder in the Patrick Cripps mould who thrives on the contest and has leadership potential. This year he has shown what he can do in spades playing as a medium defender who can go into the midfield in stints. This year he averaged 14 disposals and four marks in five games for the Western Australian u18’s. He showed recruiter his contested edge, his leadership and his ability to play all around the ground. Sam’s greatest strength is his ability to win the contest possessions and do damage at the clearances. His ability to position himself well at the contest and break tackles make him a handful for opposition midfielders. His best performance for the carnival came in the very last round when he had 20 disposals, three marks and three clearances. He was breaking every tackle that came close to him and was fending off players like Dustin Martin. Sam Powell-Pepper is also a natural leader captaining the u15 Boomerangs, u16 Western Australia and the u17 AFL Academy in New Zealand. Sam is the type of player who carries his teammates to get the win. He is inspiring for teammates and I would expect him to captain again next year. Even though he’s a dominant midfielder his disposal can be quite shaky at times. His disposal efficiency was at a low 55 per cent, the lowest of a bottom age prospect who gather ten plus disposals on average. He also had 16 clanger for the tournament which puts him up with the worst at the carnival. If he could improve his efficiency and get rid of those clangers, we might see him get some purchase on the hard work he does on the inside. In a nutshell Sam Powell-Pepper is a natural born leader who wins the contested possession like no other.
William Brodie
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
Inside Midfielder
Height: 187 cm Weight: 80 kg D.O.B: 23/8/98
The best inside midfielder in next year's draft is this kid. Will Brodie is an inside midfielder who has probably the best rounded game of an inside midfielder. Earlier in the year he played his best game against the New Zealand hawks playing in the midfield. He dominated the clearances, kicked three goals and put him in the top bracket of footballers in the draft class. Then in the TAC cup he averaged the most disposals of any bottom age player. He averaged 20 disposals and eight handball receives a game, second for bottom agers, In a strong Murray Bushrangers side. At the u18 Championships he averaged close to the most disposals as a bottom ager, second only to Jarrod Berry. His best performance coming against his Vic Metro rivals in round three, with 20 disposals, four tackles, three clearances and a goal. He averaged 15 disposals, two clearances and three tackles for the tournament. Brodies best tool is his clearance work. This is where he makes his money and where he impacts the most. He uses his big frame to push opposition under the ball, wins the ball then gives the ball off to his outside runners. He also is a true modern midfielders body. Brodie at 187 cm, 80 kg is already a massive kid and can only grow from here. He got the best side step of any midfielder of the draft, is six foot two and bashes and crashes through opponents, traits modern midfielders need. The main problem he has is his disposal efficiency. His disposal efficiency during the u18 Championships hovered around the 55 mark and at the Murray Bushrangers was at 64% efficiency, quite poor for any player. Another query I have is his versatility. If Brodie want to become a great inside midfielder he might need to go play one out forward, Dustin Martin style. If he can learn to play more forward he could place himself in the top five player in this draft. Brodie is a beast, clean and simple. With Brodie you know what you're going to get as a player and if he can play more forward could become a force to contend with.
Jy Simpkin
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
Small Forward/Balanced Midfielder
Height: 181 cm Weight: 71 kg D.O.B: 5/3/98
Bouncy is the probably the most accurate way to describe this lad. Simpkin is the second best small forward in the draft and he sure has some tricks. This year he came out with a vengeance after not being selected in the AIS Academy Level 1 squad this year. He kicked 14 goals in ten games for the Bushrangers as a high half-forward and created havoc up the ground. He averaged 17 disposals, three marks and five tackles in a strong Bushrangers team. This lead him to be selected in the u18 Vic Country squad where he showed his class alongside Ben Ainsworth. In the first game this duo was apparent when Ainsworth set up Simpkin for the match winning goal to win over Vic Metro and he continued to impress throughout the whole carnival. His best performance came in the last round when he had 20 disposals, five inside 50’s and set up his teammates twice. This was a dominant performance and one Jy hopes he can replicate consistently. Jy’s best trait I feel is his way he doesn’t get taken out of games easily. Jy is the type of player who will find a way to make a positive difference to his team. Whether it's laying a tackle, kicking some goals or using his sublime skills to set up his teammates, he doesn't lose his temperament. His other asset is his ability to create run on the outside and also get down and dirty. This trait allows him not to be pigeon holed to be an outside player like most half-forwards are. The main problem I see is that he’s not going to be a clearance king or a beast around the stoppages. This may deter him from being drafted as a inside mid but his impact in practically every position might not deter clubs. Simpkin is the type of player who can go up the ground and gather mass amounts of possession, kick ridiculous goals up forward and set up his teammates with class and poise.
Harrison Macreadie
GWS Academy/NSW-ACT
Key Defender
Height: 195 cm Weight: 82 kg D.O.B: 11/4/98
Far and away the best Key Defender of next year's AFL draft. Harrison Macreadie is a rebounding key defender in the Tom McDonald mould who has impressed at both TAC Cup and u18 Championships level. This year his draft stocks have skyrocketed to become a potential top five candidate. This has no doubt to be caused by his TAC cup form which earned him three morrish medal votes, third in the NSW-ACT side. He was skillful, speedy and jaw dropping the way he went about his football. This was no different in the u18 Championships where he was a candidate for the u18 All Australian side and if not for Kieran Collins and Jacob Weitering probably would have been selected. He was selling candy, penetrating his kicks and creating run from the back half, something the NSW-ACT side lacked. He averaged 13 disposals, three marks, one inside 50 at an elite 81% efficiency during the Carnival. The thing that makes Harrison Macreadie so good in my opinion is his mobility. At 195 cm he’s the tallest key position player in the AIS AFL Academy and he moves like a wingman. In fact at times has made runs like one during the year. This is so prominent he has drawn comparisons to running key defender Tom McDonald from the Melbourne Football Club. Harry is also extremely composed in traffic. At times during the year he looks like the play slows down, allowing for Harry to deliver the football to his teammates. He dodges tackles using his strong core and uses his height allowing him to get loose in tackles and deliver to his outside runners by hand. Harrison as a prospect is extremely solid and doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. The thing I would like to see from Harrison Macreadie is to go forward in stints. This year we saw both Kieran Collins, Jacob Weitering and Ben McKay go forward at times, switching from there key position posts. If Harrison Macreadie can go forward and use his clearly dominant athletic traits then I think he could cement himself as one of the best players at the draft. Although Harry has many fans, he will be a Giant no doubt and won’t they be happy to have him on board out west.
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