Draft prospects head to AFL clubsCallum Twomey
afl.com.au
January 13, 2014 THE COUNTRY'S most talented group of draft prospects will spend this week entrenched at AFL clubs in an important step in their under-18 season.
Members of the level two AIS-AFL Academy have been distributed among the clubs, and will get a taste of life as a professional player through the week.
The players, who are eligible for this year's NAB AFL Draft, will participate in trainings, recovery, team meetings and be welcomed into inner sanctums.
While the experience is valuable for players, it is also seen as another chance for recruiters to gauge how the players handle AFL demands, interact with others, and understand the club's program.
A number of clubs have drafted players who have trained with them earlier in those respective years.
Last season, Dom Sheed trained at West Coast for his placement and the Eagles drafted him at pick 11 in November.
Ben Lennon impressed during his week at Richmond in January and the Tigers followed him closely throughout the year before picking him with their first selection at the draft.
In 2012, Jake Stringer's approach to his week at the Western Bulldogs stayed in the minds of the Bulldogs recruiters, who went on to use pick five to draft him.
Several clubs will get the chance this week to see prospects who they may bid on later in the year as academy or father-son players.
Liam Dawson and Matthew Hammelmann (Brisbane Lions), Liam Griffiths and Nick Coughlan (GWS) and Isaac Heeney (Sydney Swans) are all eligible to join those clubs as academy players.
South Australian midfielder Billy Stretch, the son of former Demon Steven Stretch, will train at Melbourne, where he is eligible to be drafted as a father-son player.
Strong-marking key position player Hugh Goddard will be one of three draft hopefuls at Essendon alongside his cousin Brendon, while Lachie Weller, younger brother of Maverick, will continue to train with the Gold Coast, but he has not lived in Queensland long enough to qualify as a Suns zone selection.
Who's training at your club?
ADELAIDE: Mac Bower, Jesse Watchman*
BRISBANE LIONS: Liam Dawson, Matthew Hammelmann
CARLTON: Jaden McGrath, Jermaine Miller-Lewis
ESSENDON: Hugh Goddard, Jake Lever, Peter Wright
FREMANTLE: Jarrod Pickett, Brad Walsh, Matthew Ah Sui
GWS: Liam Griffiths, Nick Coughlan**
GEELONG: Paddy McCartin, Jackson Nelson
GOLD COAST: Lachie Weller
HAWTHORN: Christian Petracca
MELBOURNE: Angus Brayshaw, Billy Stretch
NORTH MELBOURNE: Nakia Cockatoo, Sean McLaren
PORT ADELAIDE: Sam Durdin
RICHMOND: Ryan Lim
ST KILDA: Daniel Capiron, Tom Lamb
SYDNEY SWANS: Isaac Heeney
WEST COAST: Sam Bevan, Clem Smith
WESTERN BULLDOGS: Duom Dawam, Liam Duggan
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-01-13/clubs-early-talent-test
