Ripe rookiesBy Jason Phelan
Mon 28 Nov, 2011THE 2011 NAB AFL Draft is in the books, but there's still a lot of footballing talent ripe for the picking at December's pre-season and rookie drafts.
Clubs looking to bolster their tall stocks are in luck because there are plenty of raw key prospects available who were overlooked at the national draft, but will be well worth a rookie spot that will allow them time to add some polish to their games.
Tasmanian Brody Mihocek made the All Australian team after an excellent national carnival, but he didn't hear his name called in Sydney last week and the highly competitive, 192cm defender can consider himself unlucky.
He's joined at the head of the list of rookie hopefuls by Sandringham's Sam Frost and Geelong Falcon Andrew Boseley.
Frost is an exciting athletic prospect who came to football late, but still attracted interest from several clubs after a good championships campaign with Vic Metro.
Slight queries over the 194cm defender's kicking action probably hurt him at the national draft, but he is an excellent rookie prospect with tremendous upside who will benefit from being in a full-time AFL environment.
Boseley is a long-limbed 192cm full-back who made the TAC Cup Team of the Year and would be capable of playing some football next year off a rookie list.
This year's big draft smoky, Waylen Manson, didn't find a club at the draft despite kicking bags of goals for Waratahs in the NTFL.
He's from a tiny community south east of Halls Creek in outback Western Australia and while clubs were wary of offering him a berth on their senior list, it won't surprise to see him join one of the WA clubs.
Justin Clarke, the centre half-back from Booleroo Centre in South Australia, loomed as a late swooper in the days before the draft, but also went unclaimed, as did Simon Tunbridge, who returned to Perth citing home sickness after spending a year with GWS as one of its 17-year-old concessionary players.
North Hobart's Julian Dobosz, South Fremantle's Myles Bolger, Geelong's Jai Sheahan and Sam Gordon, Eastern's Michael Bussey, Sandringham pair Xavier Richards and Fletcher Roberts, Oakleigh trio Damian Mascitti, Jake Hammond and Nick Murphy are all taller players who will also be strongly considered for selection at the rookie draft.
Dandenong forward Brett O'Hanlon doesn't quite fit into that category at 189cm, but his strength overhead will surely see him offered a rookie lifeline.
There will also be plenty of midfielders available at the December 13 draft meeting with West Perth's Shane Nelson probably the most surprising non-selection at the national draft.
He's a prolific ball winner with great endurance who can go forward and kick a goal and will surely be given a chance to impress from a rookie list.
Nelson's WA teammates Cam Eardley and Marley Williams will also rank highly among the remaining onballers as will Tasmanian skipper John McKenzie (who won All Australian honours this year), Murray Bushranger Jack Crisp, North Ballarat speedster Lachie Dalgleish, Northern Knight Michael Mascoulis and SA hard hitter Josh Waldhuter.
Mature-aged players Kyal Horsley, Lee Spurr and Darren Pfeiffer will also be in the mix after excellent seasons.
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