2010 Draft Camp

[one-eyed]

Draft Combine Total Access

Total Access is AFL.com.au's daily panel show direct from the NAB AFL Draft Combine at the AIS in Canberra.

Featuring award winning journalists Damian Barrett and Paul Daffey, Total Access will have the inside word on who your club is looking at for the 2010 NAB AFL National Draft.

The NAB AFL Draft Combine (formerly Draft Camp) is the annual showcase for a carefully selected batch of talented young footballers as they strive to impress AFL recruiters.


Leading stars from the NAB AFL Under 18 Championships and the TAC Cup will undergo a series of intensive physical tests and evaluations along with extensive interviews with AFL list managers.

Total Access will feature:

    * a complete wrap of all the Combine highlights
    * in depth interviews with AFL coaches and recruiters as they check out the talent on display
    * interviews with the brightest prospects in football as they undertake each of the Combine tests under the watchful gaze of the 17 AFL clubs for 2011
    * exclusive player appraisals with AFL talent guru Kevin Sheehan and AIS Academy coach Jason McCartney
    * all the Combine test results and comparisons with leading AFL stars

Visit AFL.com.au from 4.30pm each day from 28 September to 1 October, straight after the Grand Final, to watch NAB AFL Draft Combine - Total Access and see how this year's leading draft picks are shaping up.

http://www.afl.com.au/development/nabaflrisingstarsprogram/nabafldraftcombine/totalaccess/tabid/16666/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Here's Kevin "Shifter" Sheehan's draft camp/combine video summary.

A brief look as well at Bennell, Atley, Gaff, Polec and Day as the top kids

http://www.afl.com.au/finals/video/tabid/76/contentid/299530/draft+combine+explained/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Records likely to fall at Draft Combine
By Adam McNicol
Wed 22 Sep, 2010


AFL TALENT manager Kevin Sheehan is expecting records to be broken when some of the nation’s most promising young footballers gather in Canberra for the draft combine, which begins on September 28.

Athletic tests are a big part of the combine and more than 150 recruiters and coaches are expected to watch the 100 players strut their stuff.

South Australian Sam Day is sure to attract plenty of attention. The budding ruckman, who is regarded by AIS-AFL high performance coach Jason McCartney as a “freakish talent”, has already achieved some impressive feats.

When tested as part of the AFL-AIS program earlier in the year, Day recorded a vertical leap of 81cm. That’s 3cm better than the existing draft combine record, which was set by Nic Naitanui in 2008.

“Sam Day will be a top-10 choice in the draft, no doubt about it,” Sheehan said. “He’s got an incredible natural leap.”

When it comes to the agility test - a dash through a slalom-type course - and the 20m sprint, recruiters will be keeping a very close eye on Shaun Atley, who recently completed an impressive season with the Murray Bushrangers in the TAC Cup.

Atley grew up in the Victorian high country town of Corryong, and he will be trying to match the 20m sprint time of 2.83sec, which was set by Fremantle young-gun Stephen Hill in 2008.

Hill was also a stand-out in the agility test.

“It tests the ability of players to change direction and you can see by the way Hill plays he’s so good at that stuff,” Sheehan explained.

“Shaun Atley has got great ability to accelerate and the recruiters have seen that in the way he plays. He’ll be pretty quick in the sprint and the agility tests.”

The toughest challenge at the draft combine is undoubtedly the dreaded beep test, which is used to measure aerobic endurance.

Sydney Swans midfielder Jarrad McVeigh set the draft combine record of 15.6 back in 2002.

But this year the mark is expected to be challenged by Luke Parker, who has been a star with the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup.

A midfielder with good hands, Parker recorded a score of 15.0 in a beep test earlier this year.

“All the little things count at the combine,” Sheehan said. “Draftees are now tied to clubs for a minimum of two years, so the recruiters have to get their decisions right.

“The young lads have got to be organised and committed, then they have to perform well in their interviews. But it’s exciting for all the kids as well.”

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103036/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Harvey tops draft combine jump test
By Jason Phelan
7:38 PM Tue 28 Sep, 2010


THE FIRST day of the NAB AFL Draft Combine in Canberra saw attendees have a crack at Nic Naitanui’s standing vertical jump record, but the spring-heeled Eagle’s two-year old mark remains.

Naitanui recorded a standing leap of 78cm in 2008 with Eastern Ranges’ midfielder Brad Harvey the closest this year with an impressive 75cm effort.

That’s no mean feat for Harvey who, at 184cm, is significantly smaller than the 201cm West Coast ruckman.

The testing is relative to each player’s height, but historically the bigger blokes have done better in this category as evidenced by long-time record holder Trent Croad and last year’s standout, Adelaide ruckman James Craig, who at 195cm registered a 76cm leap.

Harvey finished well out in front of second placegetters Nathan Batley, of SA club Woodville-West Torrens, and Claremont’s Anton Hamp who each recorded a 71cm jump. 

Morrish Medal winner and Vic Country most valuable player, Dyson Heppell, recorded a 64cm leap, as did highly-rated Murray Bushrangers’ midfielder Shaun Atley.

The standing vertical jump was the only test of note carried out on the first day of the combine which is typically focused more on height and weight measurements and club interviews.

Standing vertical jump top 10

Position    Attendee    Result
1st    Brad Harvey    75cm
=2nd    Nathan Batley    71cm
=2nd    Anton Hamp    71cm
4th    Joel Wilkinson    66cm
=5th    Kieran Harper    65cm
=5th    Cameron Gutherie 65cm
=7th    Shaun Atley    64cm
=7th    Dyson Heppell    64cm
=9th    Seb Tape            63cm
=9th    Billie Smedts    63cm

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103372/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Draft combine snippets – day one

Same, same but different
The 17th draft camp - now called the ‘combine’ - kicked off on Tuesday in Canberra in much the same way as the 16 before it. The clubs are all eager to get stuck into the interviewing process - and they have - but there has been a tweak this year. In the past, clubs have found little out-of-the-way spots at the AIS campus to grill prospective draftees away from prying eyes. Not so this year with the AFL giving all clubs allocated spaces in the gym.

What’s in a name?
Just on the name change - AFL National Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan explains the thinking behind it: “The change in branding to the word combine has a comfortable fit to what this process is all about - the AFL clubs combine their time and resources to test the best and then look for the combination of athletic ability, skills and mental toughness to make the grade in the AFL.”

Look at me, look at me!
US sporting goods giant, Under Armour, has hopped on board as a co-sponsor of the combine with NAB and has left no stone unturned in attempting to lure the stars of tomorrow. A big screen television in the foyer, situated next to a giant Under Armour mannequin, plays an in-your-face commercial at volume on repeat. There’s also a display of their new line of footy boots in the gym. How to best describe the styling? Well, let’s just say they’d make Kyle Reimers blush.

Walking wounded
There are usually a few draft hopefuls carrying around battle scars of a testing under-18 season and this year is no different. Among the youngsters at the AIS for the interviews only are Western Jet Ben Casley, who has a crook left wing, Sandgroper Reece Conca, who is on crutches, and Geelong Falcon Cameron Delaney, who is also hopping around on one leg. Don’t worry fellas - Trent Cotchin was up here on crutches and things turned out all right for him.

Hail to the chief
Senior coaches have varying interest in the recruiting process, but most head to Canberra at some point during the combine to have a bit of sticky beak into their recruiter’s world. Of course, Mick Malthouse and Ross Lyon won’t be able to this year as they have more pressing concerns, but Guy McKenna, Dean Bailey and Matthew Primus led the charge on the first day with the rest to follow when the action heats up on Wednesday.

Who’s interviewing who here?
Most draft prospects report feeling nervous when they first face AFL recruiters, but not Perth midfielder Reece Conca. The 18-year-old is studying a double degree in commerce and psychology at Curtin University. His psychology degree involves plenty of one-on-one interviews, so his chats with Essendon, the Brisbane Lions and Collingwood were a breeze. “I thoroughly enjoyed them,” he said. Conca played five senior games with Perth late in the 2010 season, and was best on ground against Claremont.

Nothing to see here
The new open-plan interviewing set-up clearly hasn’t impressed the Magpies. While the 17 other clubs were reasonably easy to check, Collingwood’s enclosure had been modified with extra partitions to allow the maximum possible privacy.

Practice makes perfect
East Fremantle midfielder Jamie Cripps spoke to the Brisbane Lions and Essendon. He said the task wasn’t too difficult because he’s already spoken to nine or 10 clubs that have visited him at his home in the Perth suburb of Attadale. “I’ve had plenty of practice,” Cripps said. The 18-year-old described his interviews with the Lions and Bombers as “pretty casual”. Mark 'Choco' Williams, legendary for his no-holds-barred interviews, must be choking on his clipboard.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103375/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Two combine attendees break 20m sprint record
By Jason Phelan
1:21 PM Wed 29 Sep, 2010


Joel Wilkinson and Brad Harvey


THE NAB AFL Draft Combine in Canberra is abuzz with the news that Danyle Pearce’s 20m sprint record has been broken not once but twice in less than 30 minutes.

Day two of the combine started with a bang when Eastern Ranges’ half-back flanker Brad Harvey went under Pearce’s time of 2.79 seconds, set back in 2004, but not to be outdone, Queenslander Joel Wilkinson bettered Harvey’s new mark soon after.

Wilkinson has only been playing competitive football for two years, but the Queensland under-18 captain thrust himself into the spotlight in front of the gathered AFL recruiters and senior coaches in no uncertain terms with a time of 2.747 seconds at the AIS on Wednesday.

“[It did feel quick] but that’s just through confidence. When people are confident you run and you think ‘that felt quick’ but I never knew I was running that quick,” Wilkinson said. “It was a bit of a buzz having everyone here [watching]. I’m a bit shocked really.

“I had a big emphasis on today, especially the repeat sprints, but I honestly wasn’t expecting too much from the 20m sprint so it gives me a lot of confidence.

“But the pressure is definitely not any [greater] on me because my expectations [of myself] definitely exceed anyone else’s.

“I put a lot more pressure on me than the coaches do.”

Harvey’s performance is even more impressive when his 75cm vertical leap, which led combine testing on Tuesday, is taken into account.

“I had the record for about half an hour so. I’m a bit disappointed, but [Joel] beat me pretty convincingly so good on him,” Harvey said.

“I came here not expecting to do that well in the 20m sprint and when I saw I broke the record I was pretty stoked.”

GWS coach Kevin Sheedy was on hand to witness the achievements and was glowing in his praise for the two players and the combine which is now in its 17th year.
 
“It keeps improving every year which I think is important and I think the calibre of the players coming through [is too],” Sheedy said.

“Getting the [the young players to understand] the idea of what you’ve got to prepare to actually do one day in the big league.

“It really starts with having an attitude to get along here and test yourself against the best.”

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103400/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

The latest results from the 2010 NAB AFL Combine will be published here from 28 September.


20 Metre Sprint - Top 10

Position Name Result (seconds)
 
1 Joel Wilkinson     2.75 (record)
2 Brad Harvey       2.78
3 Nathan Batley    2.81
4 Daniel Farmer     2.83
5 Ryan Brabazon   2.84
6 Shane Kersten   2.88
7 Gerald Ugle        2.88
8 Andrew Gaff       2.88
9 Angus Litherland 2.89
10 Billie Smedts     2.91

Agility Run - Top 10

Position Name Result (seconds)
 
1 Billie Smedts       7.90
2 Dion Prestia        8.00
3 Viv Michie          8.01
4 Aaron Mullett      8.03
5 Ryan Brabazon    8.04
6 Josh Green         8.07
7 Mitchell Wallis     8.07
8 Jacob Gilbee       8.10
9 Daniel Farmer      8.13
10 Jayden Pitt       8.15

Running Vertical Jump - Top 10

Position Name Result (cms)
 
1 Kieran Harper       88
2 Brad Harvey         88
3 Dyson Heppell       86
4 Ben Jacobs           84
5 Joel Wilkinson        84
6 Cameron Guthrie    83
7 Jake Batchelor       82
8 Rohan Bewick        82
9 Ryan Brabazon       82
10 Cameron Johnston 82

Standing Vertical Jump - Top 10

Position Name Result (cms)
 
1 Brad Harvey      75
2 Nathan Batley    71
3 Anton Hamp       71
4 Joel Wilkinson     66
5 Kieran Harper     65
6 Cameron Guthrie 65
7 Shaun Atley       64
8 Dyson Heppell    64
9 Seb Tape          63
10 Billie Smedts     63

Height - Top 10

Position Name Height (cms)
 
1 Leif Cope          204.6
2 John Ceglar       203.1
3 Tom Hickey       201.4
4 Andrew Phillips   200.9
5 Ben Mabon        200.1
6 Callum Sinclair    199.5
7 Matt Jones        199.5
8 Tom Lynch        199.1
9 Brandyn Grenfell 198.6
10 Luke Mitchell    198.0

Arm Span - Top 10

Position Name Result (cms)
 
1 Leif Cope          92.1
2 Tom Hickey       92.0
3 Callum Sinclair    91.0
4 Brandyn Grenfell 90.4
5 John Ceglar       89.5
6 Nic Murphy        89.2
7 Andrew Phillips   89.1
8 Todd Elton        89.1
9 Tom Lynch        88.2
10 Zac Fitzgerald  88.5

Hand Span - Top 10

Position Name Result (cms)
 
1 Leif Cope           25.8
2 Tom Hickey        24.9
3 Callum Sinclair    23.0
4 Brandyn Grenfell 22.8
5 John Ceglar       26.4
6 Nic Murphy        23.9
7 Andrew Phillips   24.3
8 Todd Elton        23.3
9 Tom Lynch        25.0
10 Zac Fitzgerald  25.0


AFL club recruiting managers look for the edge that might separate players with similar playing potential and, over the years, standout fitness testing results have provided a future insight into a player's physical capabilities.


A quick glance highlights some of the best.

All Time Standout Draft Combine Performances


Standing Vertical Jump
Year Score (cm) Name
2008 78 Nic Naitanui (West Coast)
2009 76 James Craig (Adelaide)
2009 75  Sam Shaw (Adelaide)
2007 73 Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide)
2008 72 Stephen Hill (Fremantle)
 

Running Vertical Jump
Year Score (cm)  Name
2002 102  Jared Brennan (Brisbane)
2008 102 Nic Naitanui (West Coast)
2007 101 David Gourdis (Richmond)
2004  96 Danyle Pearce (Port Adelaide)
2005  90 Wayde Mills (Brisbane)
 

Agility Run
Year Score (secs) Name
2008 7.77 Stephen Hill (Fremantle) 
2004 7.79 Danyle Pearce (Port Adelaide) 
2004 7.97  Nathan Van Berlo (Adelaide) 
2007 7.91  Aaron Joseph (Carlton) 
2009 7.95 Kane Lucas (Carlton) 

20m Sprint
Year Score (secs)  Name
2004 2.79 Danyle Pearce (Port Adelaide)
2008 2.80 Ashley Smith (West Coast) 
2008 2.82 Jack Watts (Melbourne) 
2008 2.83  Stephen Hill (Fremantle)
2002 2.83  Jared Brennan (Brisbane)

Repeat Sprint
Year Score (secs)  Name
2006 24.67 Simon Hogan
2007 23.59 Chris Kangars 
2008 24.82 Ryan Schoenmakers
2009 23.91 Jack Fitzpatrick

Shuttle Run - Beep Test
Year Score (level)  Name
2002 15.6 Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney)
2009 15.6 Brayden Norris (North Melbourne)
2006 15.4 Shane Edwards (Richmond)
2003 15.3 Farren Ray (St Kilda)
2009 15.1 Ryan Bastinac (North Melbourne)
 

3 km Time Trial
Year Score (mins:secs)  Name
2006   9:37 Tim Houlihan (West Coast)
2006   9:35 Simon Hogan (Geelong)
2002 10:02 Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney)
2009 10:03 Ryan Bastinac (North Melbourne)
2003 10:04 Andrew Walker (Carlton)

Height (Tallest Player at the Draft Combine)
Year Height (cms) Name
2009 206.8 Max Gawn (Melbourne)
2005 205.8 Max Bailey (Hawthorn)
2004 203.9 Cameron Wood (Collingwood) 
2008 201.7 Ayce Cordy (Western Bulldogs)

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/16674/Default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Kicking Assessment - Top 10

Position  Name        Score   Efficiency %
1 Jed Lamb            29/30        97
2 Aaron Young       26/30        87
3 Tom Liberatore    25/30        83
4 Gerald Ugle         24/30        80
5 Ben Jacobs         24/30        65
6 Nick Murphy        23/30        65
7 Billie Smedts        23/30        64
8 Tom Gordon         23/30       64
9 Lucas Cook          23/30       63
10 Callum Sinclair     23/30       63


Clean Hands Test - Top 10

Position  Name           Score    Efficiency %
1 Josh Caddy           28/30       93
2 Dyson Heppell        28/30      93
3 Mitch Wallis           27/30      90
4 Josh Farmer           27/30      90
5 Jarryd Lyons          27/30      90
6 Tom Hickey            27/30      90
7 Jai Sheehan           27/30      90
=8 Ben Reid              26/30      87
=8 Alex Fasalo           26/30     87
=8 Jamie Cripps         26/30      87
=8 Joel Wilkinson       26/30      87

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/16674/Default.aspx

[Penelope]

Gee those kicking efficiency scores are a bit concerning.

Positions holding 5-10 are all in the %60's

Where are the top prospects efficiency? Below 60%?

[one-eyed]

Beep test/shuttle run - top 10

Position Name           Level    Shuttle
1    Hayden Hector    15    7 (record)
2    Andrew Gaff    15    3
3    Joel Wilkinson    15    3
4    Jacob Gilbee    15    1
5    Ryan Brabazon    15    1
6    Dyson Heppell    14    13
7    Cameron O'Shea    14    10
8    Josh Caddy    14    9
9    Rohan Bewick    14    7
10    Ryan Lester    14    6

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/16674/Default.aspx

[mightytiges]

Gee those kicking efficiency scores are a bit concerning.

Positions holding 5-10 are all in the %60's

Where are the top prospects efficiency? Below 60%?

I think whoever worked out those efficiencies needs to go back to school and learn percentages. 23/30 = 76.6%  ???

[Penelope]

  Didnt even notice that MT. That's not so bad then.
Still a bit concerning that the prospective top picks don't feature though.

[one-eyed]

Gaff saving the best for last
By Paul Daffey
4:42 PM Fri 01 Oct, 2010

IN THE decathlon, the 1500 metres is the last of the 10 events over two days. The winner of that final race usually is an athlete who's not only built for endurance, he's mentally strong.

The 3000 metre time trial at the NAB AFL Draft Combine serves the same purpose. All the draft prospects are exhausted after four days of physical and mental tests, as well as interviews with interested AFL clubs.

The winner of the time-trial is a footballer who's got excellent endurance and a strong capacity to forge through pain. Congratulations, Andrew Gaff. After testing brilliantly in almost every discipline over the four days, Gaff finished off the combine by running the fastest time.

His 10 minutes flat ranks him third on the all-time list for the 3000 metres. Tim Houlihan, now of West Coast, ran 9 minutes 37 seconds in 2006, while Simon Hogan (Geelong) ran 9.55 in the same year.

Two runners, Cameron O'Shea of Eastern Ranges and Haydn Hector of Gippsland Power, finished just behind Gaff, with 10.03 and 10.04 respectively. Those times rank O'Shea and Hector in the top half-dozen on the all-time list for the 3000 metres.

O'Shea said his performance was another vindication of his decision to lose weight during last summer. The 192-centimetre midfielder and half-back began the pre-season at 90 kilograms.

With plenty of help from his mother (the family lives in Emerald in the Dandenong Ranges), he dropped to 84 kilograms.

O'Shea said the lesser weight enabled him to run deeper into games. If there was a moment when he realised his greater running capacity, it was during a mid-season clash against Calder Cannons at Coburg.

"I just kept finding the footy that day," he said.

O'Shea played two games for Vic Metro in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships before he almost sliced the top off his right pointer finger in a work accident. The 18-year-old, who finished year 12 last year, works at a company that makes corporate banners.

He missed five weeks with injury before returning to Eastern Ranges and seeing out the season in consistent style. Seven clubs interviewed O'Shea at the draft combine, enough to suggest he'll be picked up in next month's national draft.

Hector followed up on his superb record-breaking performance in the beep test on Thursday - a score of 15.7 - with another performance that suggests a massive machine within his strongly built body.

"I just love long-distance running," he said. "I love being fit."

Hector does only the occasional extra run in his home town of Traralgon during the footy season. He maintains his running prowess simply by training twice a week with his home club, Traralgon, and once a week with Gippsland Power.

Gaff, O'Shea and Hector won the three heats of the 3000 metres. All three of them finished more than 100 metres ahead of the next runner.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103567/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

3km time trial - top 10

Position Name          Result (mins:secs)

1    Andrew Gaff    10:00
2    Cameron O'Shea    10:03
3    Hayden Hector    10:04
4    Jamie Cripps    10:15
5    Jack Newnes    10:16
6    Rohan Bewick    10:18
7    Joel Wilkinson    10:26
8    Josh Caddy    10:33
9    Ariel Steinberg    10:33
10    Lucas Cook    10:34

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/16674/Default.aspx