2010 Potential draftees thread

[one-eyed]

Moulding an AFL Darling
EMMA QUAYLE
May 30, 2010
 
JACK Darling wasn't quite himself at the start of this season. He wasn't as excited, as interested, as motivated as he had been. The teenager had overcome off-season ankle surgery, shed the weight he gained over the Christmas break and trained all summer with the West Perth senior team. It was round one, and he was in the team.

The problem was, he wished he were somewhere else. A bunch of Darling's junior West Australian teammates had already been drafted and were ensconced at AFL clubs, on the cusp of much more exciting times. Another group of his AIS-AFL Academy friends were living together on the Gold Coast, about to become part of that team. Thinking about them, Darling's own draft day, this November, seemed a long way away.

"It's been pretty frustrating, I must admit," said Darling, born 46 days too late to be signed by the new club as a 17-year-old last year. "I look at all the photos the Gold Coast boys put on Facebook, they ring to tell me all the things they've been doing and I just think, 'Oh … it sounds so good', and it makes me wish I could be up there too, doing what I love every single day of the week and just being a part of it.

"I found that a bit hard to deal with, especially at the start of the year. I wasn't feeling all that motivated and my confidence was down because of my injury. But now I'm getting much more into it. I'm good to go, now. I still wish I was there, but I had to stop thinking about that and focus on this year; make sure I was concentrating. I don't want to waste this year; I've got to make the most of it and I want to make sure I enjoy it."

So far, Darling's season has been spent at West Perth, where he played six of the first eight games before heading back to the state under-18 squad. An ongoing groin injury has hampered him somewhat, but he's also had to deal with the fact that as the newest, youngest member of the forward line, he isn't the first player his teammates upfield look for when they get the ball. He has been forced to find other ways to get involved.

"What I've tried to do is just apply heaps of pressure, as much as I can, all the time," Darling said. "I've tried to lock the ball in as often as I can and have worked hard to get to contests. Even if you're not the marking target you can always try to get front and centre, so that's what I've tried to do. It's been different, but it's a good way to prove yourself and help your team have faith in you."

His efforts have been noticed. "Jack hasn't kicked a lot of goals this year but some of his work rate off the ball has been outstanding," said Bill Monaghan, the West Perth coach. "People look at Jack and because he's such a big kid they expect him to come out every week, take marks and kick goals. But I know the players are rapt with the way he goes about the defensive side of his game and does his best to help them out.

"It's been a challenge for him, because as a kid he's always been the best player in the team. He's always been bigger and stronger than the kids he's played against, but playing against men has been something different because he can't barge through every pack, he can't push every player over, and he can't take every mark. There are times when he can do that, but there are times when he has to give the ball off.

"He's learning that he can't always be the best player on the ground, but that there are other ways to play well. Jack's a confident kid, and he has a lot of desire. He wants to be good, any way he can be."

Starting this weekend, Darling will face new pressures. As a young, undraftable kid during last year's under-18 championships, Darling kicked 14 goals, set up 15 and dominated aerial contests. He was Champion Data's top-ranked player and was named All-Australian centre half-forward. This year, he returns as one of the most highly-rated prospects, a status he has already learnt carries some responsibility.

After a Year 12 camp last September, Darling not only faced the wrath of his school for being caught with alcohol, and a girl in his tent, but had his name published in the paper for not-so-positive reasons. It was a difficult reminder that it's not always good to be spoken about.

"It was a real eye-opener. I tried to put it out of my mind but I also had to deal with it, tell the truth and not brush it off," Darling said.

"I never thought something like that would happen, but if anything, it was a good lesson. It made me stronger, and it makes me not want to let something like that happen again."

This year, Darling has combined his West Perth duties with a full-time courier job. He hasn't played against opponents his own age for several months, but won't let himself relax throughout the next six weeks.

"I really want to have a big championships and prove myself. I don't want to hold back for the whole carnival; I want to play as well as I can in every game and work a lot harder than I did last year," he said.

"I won't take it lightly at all."

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/moulding-an-afl-darling-20100529-wmka.html

[one-eyed]

This Lamb's not so sheepish
ADAM MCNICOL
June 13, 2010
 

Jed Lamb in action for Vic Country in its win over Vic Metro at the MCG. Photo: Getty Images

JED LAMB admits he's always been a bit of a character.

"Yeah, I've always been a bit out there, I guess," he says. "I've dyed my hair and that sort of stuff. Recently a few of my mates dyed my hair blonde, then it sort of went orange. That's why I've got dark hair now."

But these days the 17-year-old is not only attracting attention in his home town of Yarram, which is located in the heart of Gippsland, 225 kilometres east of Melbourne.

After his recent performances for Victoria Country in the national under-18 championships, Lamb is quickly establishing a reputation as one of the most promising young footballers in the nation.

There are two key reasons that Lamb has been one of the most eye-catching players to take part in the competition formerly known as the Teal Cup.

The first is that he can really play - his four goals in Vic Country's first-up win over Vic Metro at the MCG prove that. The second is that he's not scared about making the odd outlandish fashion statement.

This season, Lamb has decided to run around in fluorescent yellow footy boots.

"I was with my mate one day and I was telling him how I wanted fluoro boots," he explains. "We walked into a sports shop and he pointed out these yellow ones. I thought they looked pretty good, so I thought I'd have a crack at them for something different.

"Also, I'm a Bombers supporter and one of my favourite players is Kyle Reimers. He wears bright boots so I thought I'd do the same."

A talented and confident junior footballer, Lamb came to prominence in 2008 when he began playing in Yarram's senior side at the age of 15. Then a dashing half-back, he subsequently graduated to the Gippsland Power TAC Cup team, before his career reached an early crossroad.

"I didn't really get a kick or anything and we were playing against North Ballarat up at Ballarat one day when John Butcher [now at Port Adelaide] got sent off for swearing at the umpire," he recounts.

"The coach sent me to full-forward and I kicked four goals, so he left me there."

The move to attack proved a master-stroke, and when the season was completed Lamb had 48 goals to his name.

"The coach said to me at our presentation night that if it wasn't for John Butcher getting sent off, I probably would've been playing for my local club the following week," Lamb adds. "I was pretty lucky."

This year, Lamb has ridden his luck all the way to the national championships.

And two weeks ago he was an outstanding contributor as the country boys proved too good in the battle between the two Victorian teams.

On that day, Lamb had a host of family and friends cheering him on from the MCG grandstands.

"They're real proud," he says. "I'm originally from Poowong [in west Gippsland] and most of my extended family still live down that way. My older sister and older brother organised a bus to come down. As a young kid I played in the juniors for Poowong so a lot of my former coaches came and watched. It was great."

Out on the field, however, his bright yellow footwear didn't receive such a positive reception.

"Against Vic Metro I heard the runner mention to the guy I was playing on, 'They're shockin' boots, aren't they?' Every now and then I cop a bit of poo off the boys. It's all good fun."

Last weekend, Lamb confirmed his status as a potential first-round draftee, when he kicked another two goals in Vic Country's win over NSW/ACT at Blacktown in western Sydney.

Jason McCartney, who heads up the AFL's program at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, has compared Lamb to Collingwood's Paul Medhurst, while the league's talent manager, Kevin Sheehan, is equally enthusiastic.

"Sometimes you see guys that are just supernatural around the sticks, around the goals," Sheehan says. "Even if he's only got a bit of a glimpse at the goals from the boundary, you just know he's got that innate ability to find the target. Whether it's a dribbling kick or a deliberate shot, he's able to do it from any odd angle. He's quite freakish and it's only occasionally that you see someone like that.

"He's only got a wiry, light body but he's got some tools that can help him make the grade as a medium-sized forward."

While he has improved greatly since joining Gippsland Power last year, Lamb is adamant the season he spent playing alongside his brother Zeke in the seniors for Yarram was invaluable.

"Definitely. You're used to bigger bodies. It's more physical, playing senior footy, so it helps you cope with that stuff in the TAC Cup."

But today Lamb is a long way from home, and this afternoon he's aiming to again catch the eye of the AFL's many recruiting scouts when Vic County takes on Western Australia in Perth.

"Should be a real good thrill [to play at Subiaco Oval]," he says. "Obviously it was awesome just running out on the MCG. It's a real honour, really, to run out on such good grounds."

As always, the yellow boots are sure to raise a few eyebrows.

"Recruiters will be looking at him and thinking, 'Mmmm, he's a wee bit different'," Sheehan admits. "The blokes in the stands will be saying, 'I hope you can play, son, because if you're going to wear them you'd better be able to play'."

For Lamb, the next six months are sure to be a bit of a blur. By December, he could an AFL player, living in Perth or Adelaide or even on the Gold Coast.

"I've had a few letters [from AFL clubs]," he says. "But I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. I've still got half a year of footy to play."

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/this-lambs-not-so-sheepish-20100612-y4q2.html

[one-eyed]

'The world's his oyster' - Sam Day
By Jason Phelan
Fri 13 August, 2010



GIFTED South Australian youngster Sam Day is set to attend the 2010 NAB AFL Draft Combine in September.

Day's form with his school side and SA this year makes him a near-certainty to be snapped up by Gold Coast with one of its first three picks at November's draft, but the multi-talented 17-year-old must first decide if his future lies in Australia.

Day, who is also an exceptional baseballer and basketballer, faces the difficult task of choosing between his three sporting loves with baseball offering a lucrative career path in the US.

The combine, formerly known as the draft camp, will see 100 draft hopefuls put through their paces at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra with Day’s attendance a positive sign for those who want to see him taking hangers rather than belting homers.

"The upside to him is quite frightening," says AIS-AFL Academy high performance coach Jason McCartney of the 195cm key position prospect.

"He's a super talent. He's got elite speed, his vertical leap is outstanding, as is his agility, so in those categories alone, you’re talking about him being in the top three to five per cent we've ever tested at the Academy].

"He's just so raw with his footy. You get these thin slices of sheer brilliance where he'll stand on someone's head two or three times, but then he might drift out of games. That's just because he hasn't really got the conditioning yet."

Day has played baseball for Sturt in the local league and represented his state with distinction at under-18 level.

Coach Ron Harvey is of the firm belief that baseball is the youngster's true passion.

"He shows incredible talent and could probably go all the way to Major League Baseball," Harvey, a former talent scout for the New York Yankees, says.

"He's a power hitter - a natural number four hitter. He's a first baseman, but given his talent I think if he went over to the American system he would probably end up as a third baseman. He also has all the potential to be a pretty good pitcher if he were to concentrate on baseball.

"He's just got a gift. He's got natural hand-eye coordination and all the attributes that make you a successful sportsman. In any capacity he's just about got it all.

"All the things that make him attractive to AFL are the same things that attract interest from baseball clubs."

Harvey maintains Day is on the radar of at least six MLB franchises, but feels he would be better suited to the US college system initially.

A scholarship would allow him to fine-tune his craft while also furthering his education, with the riches of major league waiting should he develop as expected.

Working in baseball's favour is that Day's uncle Tim, himself a former Australian baseballer, is on staff at the University of Florida.

Day's impressive sporting pedigree doesn't end there with his grandfather Ian a member of the SANFL Hall of Fame and his mother a former Australian basketballer.

Harvey asserts Day would be a hot commodity in either sport, but it would be a mistake to think he is at the centre of a tug of war.

"We never, ever freeze them out from any other sports," McCartney adds.

"We actually work with the kids and allow them to play the other sports. What other sports generally do is tell them that they can’t play any other sports, but we don't believe that’s the way to go about it."

McCartney knows that giving prospects the freedom to make their own decisions doesn't always work in the AFL's favour, as evidenced by former Gold Coast squad member Alex Keath's preference for cricket, but says the health of each young man is paramount.

"Our biggest concern with Sam this year has been breakdown," he says.

"He's had a massive workload so in certain areas we've consistently lightened his football load within our program to make sure that he's able to compete in the baseball and the basketball."

Day, a prefect at Adelaide's Prince Alfred College, has routinely played a game of basketball on Saturday mornings this year and followed it up with a footy match in the afternoon.

He trains with the basketball squad after school on Tuesday evenings and with the first 18 on Thursdays.

That workload won't get any lighter, but it's a safe bet Day's chosen sport will have a budding superstar on its hands.

"The world’s his oyster. Whatever he tries to do he'll be successful," Harvey says.

"He's got all the attributes that will make him successful, not only in sport, but in life as well.

"You'll hear something about him down the track as a successful AFL footballer or a baseballer, but as a coach once told me, 'You can be a major league person as well' and that's what Sam Day is.

"He's a sensational kid."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/100250/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Caddy tees off at combine
By Paul Daffey
Sun 03 Oct, 2010




AMONG the players whose star has risen at the NAB AFL Draft Combine, few would match the ascension of Northern Knights midfielder Josh Caddy.

The 18-year-old (his birthday was last Tuesday) was always considered a prospect to go somewhere in the first round of the national daft, but now he must be considered a certainty to go in the top 10.

In playing terms, Caddy backed up his performances with the Knights with a dominant game for Vic Metro in the final match of the NAB AFL under-18 carnival against Western Australia.

At the draft combine, he’s been among the best performers in the sprinting, jumping and endurance events.

To top it off, on Thursday he etched his name into the record books when he became the inaugural winner of the clean-hands contest.

Caddy has always been known for his clean hands. As an inside midfielder, his specialty is seizing on balls in dispute and dispatching them to moving teammates. His strong build gives him extra leverage at stoppages.

“I just concentrate on keeping my eye on the footy and not thinking too far ahead,” he said.

Caddy has also been known for a strong competitive drive, a trait that was backed up by his performance in Thursday’s beep test.

It was only his red-faced determination that enabled him to push past the 14 mark, a level that enables him to be considered among the elite endurance runners.

Perhaps it was mildly surprising when Caddy recorded 60cm in the standing vertical jump, but it was close to astounding when he dipped well under the magical three-second mark in the 20-metre sprint.

Caddy twice ran 2.94 seconds, which was a fine effort considering the question marks about his speed.

“That’s always been the knock on me; people thought I might have lacked pace,” he said. “But I was pretty confident about what I could do.”

Caddy has never showcased his pace on the footy field because he’s always been busy burrowing into packs rather than breaking away from them. His aim now is to develop his ability to link up and break the lines.

“I want to develop that outside dimension,” he said.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103534/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

High five - Dyson Heppell
By Jason Phelan
Tue 19 Oct, 2010

DYSON Heppell's outstanding season for Gippsland Power and Vic Country has vaulted the Leongatha lad into top-five consideration at the NAB AFL Draft and he says a desire to simply enjoy his footy is behind his year of high achievement.

Heppell's innate leadership qualities made him a natural choice to captain Gippsland and his performances across half-back and in the midfield earned him the Morrish Medal as the TAC Cup competition's best and fairest player.

It followed his most valuable player award for Vic Country at the under-18 championships.

"I've just really focused on enjoying my football throughout the year," Heppell says.

"I've tried not to get stressed about anything and taken one step at a time and enjoying each step as it comes.

"I think pushing into the midfield in the second half of the year added an extra element to my game. I do enjoy playing off a half-back flank but I think I've got some decent versatility in my game and I'm able to play in a variety of positions which always helps.

"Some really good preparation for games has allowed me to keep my body fit and play some pretty good footy."

But Heppell's coach at the Power, Damian Carroll, feels his skipper might be selling himself a bit short in explaining the basis for his stellar season.

"Dyson missed 10 weeks of pre-season with shin splints and to come off the back of that and have the year he did was truly remarkable," Carroll says.

"He hired his own sprint coach, he tried to work on a couple of other deficiencies and really willed himself to have that sort of a standout season.

"He's just so professional with his preparation and the way he presents himself with his body. He doesn't leave any stone unturned and that's obviously a great lesson for the other young players at our club.

"He seemed to get better as the season went on and that's not easy coming back from the nationals.

"I think his strength and character of mind was really there to come back and play well for us."

Heppell dispelled any lingering doubts over his ability with an excellent performance at the recent draft combine in Canberra, where speed and endurance are highly-coveted commodities.

"I was very happy with my testing, especially with the speed element," he says of the meeting that also saw him post a 14.13 beep test, finish equal-first in the clean hands test and rank inside the top 10 in both vertical jumps.

"My speed has been fairly criticised to a certain degree, but I managed to break three seconds over the 20m sprint so I was really happy with that."

But while his combine testing may have allayed a few minor concerns about his game, Heppell was at the forefront of most recruiters' minds from early in the season.

"It's obviously become clear that he's going to be in the top 10 picks and it's just a matter of where he's actually going," Carroll says.

"That's probably been on the cards for a little bit of time now, but he never wavered from his work rate, his effort and his ability to play well on match day.

"He's probably the standout player I've coached at TAC Cup level over the last two years with his professionalism, leadership and all-round football ability. I think he's going to be a great pick-up for anyone who takes him. I couldn't endorse him more highly.

"He's a great kid and he's so thoughtful as well. I remember when we won the preliminary final against Oakleigh, he led the song with the players, but he actually made sure all the staff were part of the song as well."

With clubs from outside Victoria holding the first five picks at the draft, there's every chance Heppell will realise his AFL dream in a West Coast or Brisbane Lions guernsey.

While he's comfortable with that idea, he's not about to get too far ahead of himself.

"It's been a very exciting year, very enjoyable, and we've had some great success with Gippsland Power and Vic Country," he says.

"I made a lot of great new friendships at the carnival and it was a fantastic experience playing against the best young kids in Australia.

"It's all very exciting and you do look ahead and see what might be. It's hard to actually see yourself on an AFL list, so it is a very exciting time."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/104268/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Size not all that matters at draft
By Paul Daffey
5:43 PM Wed 20 Oct, 2010


ONE OF the striking things about going to the NAB AFL Draft Combine is the sight of so many teenagers who are tall and lean.

The average height of the draft prospects is about 188cm. Almost all those players have broad shoulders, suggesting plenty of filling out in coming years. Almost all would fit into a category that one agent describes as the "Scott Clayton prototype" - that is, rangy and athletic.

And yet you only have to consider the Collingwood premiership team to see that Australian football's historic boast that it is a code for all shapes and sizes still holds true.

While Scott Pendlebury is lean, athletic and possessed of effortless poise, his offsider Dane Swan is one of the most damaging players in the competition despite the fact he waddles like a duck.

While Dale Thomas is lean and athletic in the modern mould, the other young player who demanded to be noticed during the finals was sturdy, low-to-the-ground Steele Sidebottom. Their builds differ, but both can play when the heat's on.

So, amid all the tall, rangy types at the draft combine, it was heartening to see at least a few of the 100 prospects who were less than 180cm, the mark that is now considered to separate short players from medium-sized players.

Dion Prestia is a 175cm dynamo from TAC Cup club Calder Cannons who saw no problem in being the shortest player at the draft combine.

"The ball's on the ground most of the time," he said.

Prestia catches the eye as an inside midfielder who can use his strength to burst out of trouble.

He's also an outside midfielder who can carry the ball 10 or 20 metres and kick 60. He models himself on David Rodan.

"He's got the same frame," Prestia says. "He takes players on using his strong core and strong legs."

Prestia was expected to be a star for Vic Metro in the national under-18 championships, only to be struck by a hamstring tear halfway through the carnival.

His fellow undersized midfielder, Tom Schneider, covered the loss of Prestia so well that he won Vic Metro's best-and-fairest award.

"It was a massive honour," says Schneider, who plays for the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup.

Schneider (no relation to Adam) is 178cm and slight. He models himself on Hawthorn midfielder Sam Mitchell, who was overlooked in the first draft in which he was eligible and spent the following season playing at VFL club Box Hill.

Schneider missed out on all the physical testing at the draft combine because of osteitis pubis. He's determined to keep pressing to be drafted if clubs overlook him this year.

Josh Green is a 179cm midfielder who was captain of the Tasmanian team that won the division-two title at the under-18 national championships. He's fast and agile, and possessed of lightning reflexes and the ability to get the ball to his boot in a nanosecond.

His ability at senior level was confirmed in September when, having just turned 18, he played in his second successive Tasmanian state league premiership with Clarence.

Green says he gets around his lack of height by playing to his strengths - and by preparing. When being interviewed by AFL clubs at the draft combine, he was aggressive in dealing with the issue of his height. He asked every club what they thought of it.

"None of them said they had an issue," he said. "They said to just keep doing what I'm doing."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/104310/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Gift of the Gaff
By Jason Phelan
Sat 23 Oct, 2010


Meet Andrew Gaff article

ANDREW Gaff didn't need to prove anything to AFL recruiters ahead of the NAB AFL Draft, but the sublimely-talented onballer has further enhanced his top-five credentials by claiming the Oakleigh Chargers' best-and-fairest award.

It's an impressive feat by itself, but it's worth noting Gaff played just seven of a possible 19 games for the Chargers in the 2010 TAC Cup due to school football commitments with Carey Grammar.

"In just about every game he played in he almost polled maximum votes," Chargers development manager and midfield coach Mark Smart says.

"He was really at the top of his game every time he represented the Chargers."
 
Gaff is widely regarded as a certain top-five draft pick, and has been for some time, but the humble yet driven youngster hasn't let that cloud his thoughts during a stellar year that saw him earn All-Australian honours.

"You can't do much about it," he says with a shrug of his shoulders.

"People will say things, but you've just got to go about your business and focus on doing your best.

"I had a pretty good season the year before and one of my goals was to try and be consistent and better my performances from 2009. I guess from that perspective I'm pretty happy with my year."

Gaff, always a prolific ball-winner according to Smart, has worked hard to make himself a more complete footballer this year and Smart says he saw the evidence of his toil more and more as the season wore on.

"One area he made strides in was probably his ability to win more clearances himself," he says.

"I think that was the No.1 difference that I saw towards the end of the year. His ability to find the ball and read the play has always been a feature of his game. He's always been able to accumulate possessions, but he really learned to get more of his own ball as well.

"Another would have to be his depth of kicking. He's predominantly hit that shorter option in the past, but he's been able to lengthen his kicking.

"Towards the end of the year we could see that defensive element as well where he'd started to value it a lot more, so his intent and execution in that side of his game certainly improved.

"He recognised that as an area he wanted to improve and he went out and did it."

While Gaff's outstanding season has earned him plenty of accolades, it took some adversity to set him on the right track to the doorstep of the AFL.

He admits he was bitterly disappointed to miss out on selection in the Victorian under-16 team, but says it was that setback that instilled in him the steely resolve and determination to succeed that has served him so well since.

"Most of it comes from within; it has to," he says of his desire to perform at the highest level.

"You've got to want to be the best person or player you can be, but I've also got great support from my parents, coaches and at school.

"I think the main thing with football and school is work ethic. A lot of people have talent but don't work hard to get better.

"I think that's a strength of mine and it's really something that you've got to have if you want to be successful in sport or life really."

Smart marvels at Gaff's ability to juggle school, Chargers and state representative football this season while still maintaining a likable and respectful manner that he says made him a highly-popular figure at the club.

First-year players are often made to serve an apprenticeship before working their way into elite company, but Smart is confident he'll see Gaff in action on the big stage at some point next year.

"It won't be through lack of dedication or will or desire because he certainly possesses all those things as well as his football talent," he says.

"Everything suggests that he'll fit into an AFL environment beautifully and I think he's got enormous scope for more development. He's a got a little bit to do on the physical aspect, but it wouldn't surprise me through his sheer football ability that he gets an opportunity to play senior footy.

"His ability to read the play is just so good that he accumulates possessions. He quite often can read steps ahead of the play where he needs to be which makes him such a good footballer.

"I'm certain that he'll make every post a winner and he'll be a very good AFL player for years to come."

With the bright lights of the AFL beckoning, Gaff admits it will be difficult to completely shut out thoughts on what might happen in November, but is determined to kick one last goal at school before moving on to the next exciting phase of his life.

"I do think about [the draft] quite a bit, but my exams are obviously really important," he says.

"I guess a lot of the boys will be thinking about it in the lead up to the draft. No doubt when I'm doing some study I'll occasionally think of being out there on a footy field instead.

"Playing on any of those grounds would a dream come true for me. It's something I've wanted to do since I first started playing footy at about 10 years old."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/104376/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Shaun Atley
Day 25 - afl.com.au
Sun 10 Oct, 2010

Height: 189cm
Weight: 81kg
DOB: 13/09/92
Club: Murray Bushrangers (Vic)

Kevin Sheehan says: Exceptionally agile player with great speed and endurance and twice runner-up in state hurdles, which highlights his athletic ability. All-Australian team member in the 2010 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, where he averaged 19 disposals and six tackles.
 
 Stats (aggregate for 2010 U18 Championships)
 Games     K     H     D     M    G    H/O
     5         38     55     93     11    1      1

In his own words
What type of player are you?
An inside and outside midfielder who likes to run and carry the ball.

Which AFL player do you feel you resemble and why?
Chris Judd - can win the ball in a contested situation and feed it out to team mates.

What are your strengths as a footballer?
The ability to get out of the traffic with the ball, clean hands, run and carry.

What parts of your game would you like to improve?
Becoming a more effective kick.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/100804/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

This Lamb's no show pony
By Jason Phelan
Tue 26 Oct, 2010




DON'T let the flashy footwear fool you; Gippsland Power's Jed Lamb is no show pony.

The youngster from the tiny Victorian town of Yarram with the bright yellow boots attracted a lot of attention in two seasons with the Power, but it was returns of 47 and 40 goals and his ferocious appetite for the ball that really made AFL recruiters sit up and take notice.

When the five games he missed while representing Vic Country in 2010 are taken into account, 40 goals from 14 games as a small forward is nothing to be sniffed at, but Lamb is a hard task master when it comes to judging himself.

"I didn't have as consistent a year as I would have liked," Lamb says.

"Last year I had a pretty consistent year as a bottom ager and kicked a few goals. I think I finished second in the comp so I had a bit of pressure coming into this year and I had to perform week in, week out, but I was pretty happy with my year."

Lamb kicked some sensational goals for Gippsland over the journey, some from the tightest of angles right up to long bombs from well outside 50.

"He probably gives you one a week, just something a bit different where you go 'Oh gee that's amazing'," Power coach Damian Carroll says.

Carroll has overseen Lamb's last two seasons in the TAC Cup and has watched him go from a laid-back country lad to a tireless worker hell-bent on making it in the AFL.

"The penny probably dropped for him when he went to train with Melbourne as part of the community camp," Carroll says. "He came back from that a very focused player and a guy who wanted to really ensure that he gave himself every opportunity to play AFL. He's certainly come on in leaps and bounds this year.

"He's quite confident in himself and his ability, but he's also a very good team man.

"He takes the game on, but he's good defensively as well and works really hard on that side of his game.

"His ability to go through different positions further up the field is an attractive option for AFL clubs who are looking at him too."

While versatility is highly-valued in AFL ranks, it's Lamb's elite kicking that will see him snapped up inside the top 30 picks at the NAB AFL Draft.

With the eyes of AFL recruiters and coaches on him, Lamb stepped up to take the Nathan Buckley kicking test at the NAB AFL Draft Combine in Canberra last month and wowed them with a new record 97 per cent efficiency rating.

"I was fairly nervous going into it with all the recruiters looking at me with my bright boots," Lamb says.

"But it was definitely good to kick well while they were all watching."

While Carroll describes Lamb as a natural footballer, he's adds it's no fluke that his kicking has been developed to the level it has.

"He had very good foot skills even as an under-16 player, but he really has continued to work hard on his skills across the board," Carroll says. "At training he was always one of the few guys who trained at an AFL standard consistently.

"He probably doesn't test as well in some areas like speed and agility compared to what he shows in a game, but I think his anticipation and ability to get on the footy quickly is outstanding.

"Like all lads his age he's still got a lot of work to do in some areas, but he's got a lot of natural characteristics about his game. He's gotten a lot better on that side of things and I see a fair bit of upside in his development."

As for the boots? Well, the youngster can explain.

"I got to pick my boots late in the pre-season because I was fairly busy and they were one of the styles that was left, but it was something I liked," Lamb says.

"I guess it puts a bit of pressure on me, but it's the [sort] of pressure I like. It helps me perform and makes me want to do better."

And his prize for setting a new kicking record at the draft combine? You guessed it - a pair of impossibly bright green boots.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/104561/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Growing in stature - Tom Lynch
By Jason Phelan
Tue 02 Nov, 2010



DANDENONG Stingrays draft hopeful Tom Lynch was a pretty handy midfielder two years ago, but a growth spurt has made him a hot key forward prospect at the coming NAB AFL Draft.

Whether he would have made it to the AFL as a midfielder is debatable, but the skills he learned on the ball, combined with his now-towering 199cm frame, have all but guaranteed he'll be snapped up inside the top 10 later this month.

"This time last year Tom was playing for Sorrento," Stingrays region manager Darren Flanigan says. "He was on our list as an under-16 and he was about the same size as Mitch Hallahan at that stage.

"He was about a six-foot midfielder and we had Tom Scully, Ryan Bastinac, Luke Parker, Hallahan and a few others so he was just outside our midfield group, but we got a call about April or May last year and someone said that he was playing centre half-forward for Sorrento.

"I thought 'well what's happened there?' and he's had the big growth spurt and gone from a fairly clean, skilful midfielder to a centre half-forward in about eight months.

"We sent a couple of people to watch him play and got some really encouraging reports. We asked him out to train with us with about six or seven weeks left in the season last year and about 10 minutes into his first session the coach and I looked at each other and said 'Geez we've got a good one here'."

Lynch impressed in a key forward post for the Stingrays with his ability to cope with the increased intensity in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships with Vic Country and TAC Cup finals further impressing Flanigan.

"I helped out [coach] Robert Hyde with Vic Country at the Champs and he said to me at one point 'Geez he crumbs like a midfielder' and he does," Flanigan says.

"He hits packs front and centre and is clean as a whistle below his knees. He just got better and better as the nationals went on and then came back to us and continued to improve. His finals series was really exciting."

Lynch's skills at ground level aren't the only assets he's brought with him from his days as a midfielder. He still runs a 14-plus beep test and uses that elite endurance base with good effect.

 "His repeat efforts are outstanding," Flanigan says. "He'll lead up and be ignored then head back and come on the lead again and again until he finds enough space or the player with the ball spots him. His work rate and his willingness to present is something that you just can't teach.

"He just sees the game really well too. He sees things early so he can get in the right spot and then he leads three or four times to break a defender.

"They're fantastic assets to have as a developing forward."

Lynch took on the ruck duties inside forward 50 for the Stingrays and Flanigan is confident he can develop that side of his game which further increases his value as AFL clubs look to make the most of new interchange rules from next year.

There's every chance the youngster is still growing having shot up five centimetres since the start of the year and Flanigan believes Lynch has the skills and demeanour to make the most of his new-found stature in elite company.

"I don't think his expectations were that high at the start of the year, but he's been able to meet every challenge that was put in front of him," he says.
 
"There's a lot of upside to Tom. He's pretty raw because he was only in the TAC Cup system for one year. From where he's come from and what he's been able to achieve to this point; he's a really good story."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/104799/default.aspx

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Heppell's hands fastest
By Adam McNicol
Tue 02 Nov, 2010



IN RECENT years, the Western Bulldogs have made the handball one of their key attacking weapons.

With players like Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd and Adam Cooney setting up their free-running teammates, the Dogs have powered themselves into three successive preliminary finals.

But Rodney Eade's men are set to be even better at using the ball in 2011, because thanks to the father-son rule, they've already signed two of the most highly-skilled youngsters in the Australia.

The Bulldogs have committed their first and second-round selections in November's NAB AFL Draft to recruiting Mitch Wallis (son of former defender Steve Wallis) and Thomas Liberatore (son of 1990 Brownlow Medallist Tony Liberatore).

Of all the lads screened at the national and state draft combines, Wallis and Liberatore were among the players whose coaches gave them a score of 5/5 for their handballing skills.

Both of them also did well in the challenging Matthew Lloyd-designed handball awareness test, although their efforts were bettered by a few other young-guns.

TAC Cup star and top-10 draft prospect Dyson Heppell was one of the outstanding performers, topping the chart after gaining 28 points out of 30.

Heppell enjoyed an outstanding 2010 season. He was a standout player at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships in the middle of the year and in September he powered Gippsland Power into the TAC Cup grand final.

Heppell's effort in the handball awareness test was matched by Northern Knights forward Josh Caddy, while Wallis was among the five players to score 27/30.

The others in this group were Sandringham Dragons forwards Daniel Farmer and Jarryd Lyons, Queenslander Tom Hickey and Geelong Falcons ruckman Jai Sheahan.

Hickey shapes as one to watch in the draft as he has played some impressive games of senior football in the QAFL with Morningside.

BEST PERFORMERS IN MATTHEW LLOYD-DESIGNED HANDBALL AWARENESS TEST
Name    Position    Club    Time
Dyson Heppell    Midfielder    Gippsland Power    28/30
Mitchell Wallis    Midfielder Calder Cannons    27/30
Daniel Farmer    Forward    Sandringham Dragons    27/30
Jarryd Lyons    Forward     Sandringham Dragons    27/30
Tom Hickey    Ruck    Morningside    27/30
Jai Sheahan    Ruck    Geelong Falcons    27/30

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/104768/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Ben Jacobs - Juggling just another draft talent
By Jason Phelan
Sat 06 Nov, 2010



SANDRINGHAM Dragons star Ben Jacobs has kept a lot of balls in the air during a hectic year, but is set to reap the rewards at the NAB AFL Draft.

Like many lads aiming for a future in the AFL, Jacobs has had to combine school, TAC Cup and representative footy along with his studies, friends and family life, but he's done it all with one eye on the prize at all times.

"It's been one of those years where I've looked at it and thought, 'Hopefully I'll be at an AFL club next year, so what do I need to improve on to actually play in round one'," Jacobs says.

"It's been about developing some different parts of my game.

"I moved to half-back which allowed me to work on my running game, I've been asking around and trying to get little bits of information and tips about what was actually needed at the next level.

"One phase of your life is finishing with exams and I definitely feel like there's the opportunity there to make something happen. I'm preparing myself to be able to give my all in looking ahead and trying to foresee some stones that I can turn over to make sure I can put my best foot forward."

The Brighton Grammar student was limited to just a handful of games with the Dragons due to school football commitments, but regional manager Ryan O'Connor says he made every minute count.

"He made a really big impact with us and he's done amazingly well to juggle all the different things he's had to," O'Connor says.

"It's a pretty full schedule for a lot of the boys especially if they have leadership roles like Ben did.

"We find that the kids who are most organised and are doing well in their studies and other areas of their life are also successful on the field; it mostly walks hand in hand and it certainly did with Ben."

Sublimely-skilled yet powerful, strong overhead with an impeccable work ethic and a booming left-foot kick, Jacobs is unlikely to last past the first 15 picks at the draft.

It's testament to the work he's done since being overlooked - twice - for inclusion in the AIS-AFL Academy despite captaining the under-16 Vic Metro side.

"It was a disappointment, but it was something that sparked a bit more motivation in me to come back and prove some people wrong," he says.

"I never doubted myself once. I always thought I would get drafted if I did the work and proved to people that I was good enough. I knew I had it in me so that was probably the main thing that kept me going.

"I don't think I'd be where I am now if I hadn't of had those disappointments."

Jacobs had the help of former Fitzroy and Adelaide coach Robert Shaw, his coach at Brighton, as he set about putting a plan in place that ensured joy and not disappointment would be his overriding emotion on draft day.

He worked hard with former Essendon, and recently-appointed Team GWS, fitness guru John Quinn and O'Connor says the evidence of that work came to the fore during a stunning season that saw him earn All Australian honours at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.

"The game will knock you on the seat of your pants at some point in your career and it's how they dust themselves off and go back at it that counts," he says.

"His kicking has been absolutely outstanding this year. He can kick a ball 60m-plus and he is very effective with his long kicks, but this year he has also lowered his vision a bit and really taken his short passing to another level. I think the South Australia game over there in the carnival where he had 47 touches really highlighted that.

"He's a ripper kid and he's probably as close to AFL level in terms of being able to play right now that we've got within our squad. He's up for a challenge, he's very competitive and very driven."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/104838/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Polec's pain for mate
By Jason Phelan
Wed 10 Nov, 2010



TOP-10 draft prospect Jared Polec says the death of a close friend will be as much a spur as a painful reminder as he embarks on an AFL career.

Promising West Adelaide footballer Corey Siemers died in a car accident shortly before this year's NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, and it affected Polec and the South Australian football community deeply.

"It changed my life really," Polec says.

"It's just so short and you have to make the most of it. Anything you can do to make yourself better you just have got to do it. That will be in the back of my mind forever."

His senior coach at Woodville-West Torrens, Michael Godden, monitored Polec closely during that traumatic time, but was careful not to encroach on the counselling and support offered by the school where Polec and Siemers were completing year 12.

"I know that he was in a pretty low place, but I was really proud of the way that he carried himself through that," he says.

"In that period he handled himself really well. I think the normality of the football club was probably good for him, but we didn't over-stress it too much."

Polec rocketed up draft boards around the country after a stellar season for both his state and club, but could have been forgiven for choosing the easier option of playing school footy on his return from the nationals.

Godden was impressed by the youngster's determination to help out his Eagles teammates however he could.

Polec didn't take part in any testing at the draft combine in Canberra due to a quad strain suffered in the Eagles' narrow preliminary final loss to Norwood, but it was one of few injury hiccups in a year when his ability to mix it with grown men impressed AFL recruiters.

He played his first SANFL game as a 16-year-old in 2009 and made an immediate impact with his debut earning him a nomination for the league's rising star award.
"It gives you the extra experience against the bigger bodies and half the players in the SANFL have played AFL as well," he says.

"As well as playing against them, there is that experience and knowledge that you gain from being around older players as well so that really helps."

But it wasn't all fun and games for the prodigiously-talented junior.

"(Former Port Adelaide hard man) Josh Carr cracked me one every time we played the Bays," he says with a grin.

"He always ended up hitting me at some stage. He loves a bit of that stuff."

The left-footer was outstanding for the Croweaters at the championships, where he earned All Australian honours, and was an important part of the Eagles' surge to the preliminary final.

There's an abundance of high-quality juniors in this year's draft pool, but Godden maintains Polec has a rare talent that sets him apart.

"Jared's one of those players who can do things right when the team needs it," Godden says.

"That's a pretty special quality that not every player has. He can sense when his team needs something or a goal needs to be kicked and somehow he finds a way to do it.

"He should play AFL next year in my opinion. I've watched Bryce Gibbs come through, I saw Adam Cooney and Beau Waters come through when I was at West Adelaide and I'd put Jared right in the midst of those three.

"He's got different skill sets [to the other two], but I think Cooney and he are very much alike.

"They're a bit loose [in that] sometimes you don't always know what they're going to do, and I'm not sure they know at times, but they just have freakish ability."

With the AFL beckoning, Polec will only be an interested onlooker when Godden tries to take his Eagles one step further next year, and the coach knows his task will be just that little bit harder.

"Jared was enormous for us this year; he's obviously a super talent," he says.

"He's still pretty raw, but he was prepared to do anything for the team. He hasn't been around long enough to know that sometimes it hurts.

"He was just so valuable because he's so classy. He can kick goals at really important times and we're really going to miss him, but it's going to be great to see him go through the AFL because I think if he continues on the path he is now, you'd expect that he's going to be very good."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/105002/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Clubs measuring Tape
By Katrina Gill
Thu 11 Nov, 2010



ASK ANY recruiter to describe South Australian state under-18 skipper Seb Tape and the words cool, calm and collected will be on the tips of their tongues.

Tape was a rock in defence for SA at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships in June and showed composure beyond his years to be named best on ground on debut for Glenelg in the club's SANFL semi-final loss to Woodville-West Torrens.

The 18-year-old Westminster College student is also accomplished off the field, having recently completed exams in mathematics, chemistry, physics, english and physical education, so he couldn't help but be a bit annoyed at himself when he was caught off-guard by the Gold Coast recruiters in an interview at the draft combine.

"Gold Coast asked me what the funniest joke I knew was and if I could count back from 90 in lots of seven," Tape told afl.com.au.

"They asked me some questions I wasn't expecting and they stumped me a little bit."

Tape turned the tables on his interviewers in subsequent sit-downs, quizzing Adelaide coach Neil Craig about his trade-week plans for Tigers teammate James Sellar and Melbourne mentor Dean Bailey about his training approach to first-year players.

SA under-18 coach Brenton Phillips said this behaviour was customary of the inquisitive teenager.

"He's a deep thinker," Phillips said.

"He'll question certain aspects of the game plan and throw questions at you, so you need to be on your toes but you love the fact he's thinking so much about the game."

Tape also impressed in the physical testing at the draft combine in Canberra finishing top 10 in the vertical leap and repeat sprint.

The 191cm defender's athleticism has seen him play on both tall and small opponents this year, including likely top-10 draft pick Jared Polec, former Adelaide and Western Bulldogs goalkicker Scott Welsh and highly-rated WA forward Jack Darling.

"I pride myself on having that versatility," Tape said.

"I enjoy the challenge of playing different roles, whether that’s down back or further up the ground."

Phillips also rates Tape's competitiveness, a trait that above all else saw Tape handed the captaincy ahead of this year's national championships.

"Seb's just a rock-solid kid. He doesn't say much to the playing group, but I knew that his actions would speak louder than the words anyway and that he'd lead from the front," Phillips said.

"He always puts his head over the ball and once you see your captain doing that I think it becomes infectious through your team."

Tape, whose father played state junior footy with Melbourne great Todd Viney, has spoken to nearly every club and is rated a potential first-round draft pick ahead of next Thursday's NAB AFL Draft on the Gold Coast.

The aspiring physiotherapist is a Crows supporter, but said he wasn't fazed about the prospect of moving interstate to pursue his football dream.

"I don't think either of the SA-based clubs are in the market for a tall defender and with Gold Coast having so many picks… there's a fair chance you're going to end up interstate," he said.

"I'll just be happy if I get drafted."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/105088/default.aspx