Football > Lounder's Draft Resources
2017 Draft Camp/Combine
one-eyed:
Draft Combine preview: Who will impress?
Callum Twomey
afl.com.au
October 3, 2017
THE SEASON is done, but that doesn't mean footy has stopped.
On Tuesday, 85 AFL hopefuls will gather at Etihad Stadium for the start of the NAB AFL Draft Combine, which will run through to Friday.
Across the four days the players from around the country will take part in physical and psychological testing and be interviewed by clubs for what may be the final time before November's draft.
This year's combine looks a little different to previous years, with the famed beep test shuttle run replaced by the 'yo-yo' test, and the 3km time trial shortened to a 2km run.
AFL.com.au will have all the results exclusively as they come to hand during the week, but get up to speed with who could be in the mix to take them out across the week.
Kicking assessment
Test to be held Wednesday night
The handball test has been cut from the combine schedule, but the kicking test remains, where players take six kicks of various distances and angles and on both feet. This test is best for players who are good on their non-preferred foot, meaning Hunter Clark looms as a possible winner given his capacity to kick well over any distance on his preferred right foot and also his left side as well. Lochie O'Brien is also adept on both sides, while Jack Higgins is a very tidy kick on both feet so could be in contention.
Goalkicking assessment
Wednesday night
The goalkicking test has also survived despite some changes in the Combine testing format this year. It will see prospects taking six shots at goal from different areas inside the 50m-arc, including a couple of on-the-run kicks. Gryan Miers has a unique goalkicking action, but kicked seven on Grand Final night for the Geelong Falcons and has a very nifty goal sense, while Jack Higgins will also back himself to go well in this test after proving to be a dead-eye during the year. Oscar Allen booted 11 goals over the under-18 championships for WA and is a steady kick, while Lachlan Fogarty is another smaller type who has shown to be very handy around goal.
Standing vertical jump
Thursday morning
Combine record: Jordan Gallucci (89cm, 2016)
South Australian forward Jordan Houlahan will be a good show here. The marking forward has made a reputation for himself for flying for big grabs near goal, and he never seems to require much of a run up to boost himself towards the ball. Nathan Kreuger is another athletic South Australian who has shown real power in his game so it will be interesting to see how he tests across the week. Victorian defender Noah Balta may also challenge, having played in the ruck at stages this year despite being undersized.
Running vertical jump
Thursday morning
Combine record: Jared Brennan (102cm, 2002)
Fresh from a very good performance in the NAB AFL All Stars clash on Saturday, West Australian Larke medallist Oscar Allen could be one of the favourites for this test. He jumped 93cm in testing earlier this year, which comes through in his long reach when going for marks. Jack Petruccelle is another who should perform well in this test. The talented former basketballer flies for his marks for a shorter player but has genuine spring in his legs.
Sprint
Thursday morning
Combine record: Joel Wilkinson (2.75 seconds, 2010)
All eyes will be on Jack Petruccelle here. The Northern Knights speedster clocked in as the fastest player in the TAC Cup earlier this season when he ran 2.82 seconds over 20 metres. That's elite speed. He could have a challenger in Nick Shipley, though, who tested at 2.84 seconds earlier this year in NSW. Ed Richards, Zac Bailey, Jaidyn Stephenson and Noah Balta are others who could produce good times in the sprint test with powerful movement crucial to their respective games.
Agility
Thursday morning
Combine record: Stephen Hill (7.77 seconds, 2008)
Victorian midfielder/half-back Lochie O'Brien was one of the best performed prospects at the TAC Cup testing day earlier this year in the agility run, recording an elite time of 7.91 seconds. Anything under eight seconds in the agility test is good going. Charlie Spargo is still overcoming shoulder surgery but also tested excellently earlier in the year with a 7.83-second run, while Mitchell Podhajski (7.97 seconds), Matthew Ling (7.90 seconds) and Jordan Johnston (7.86 seconds) are others who could be in the mix.
Yo-yo test
Thursday afternoon
New event
The 'yo-yo' test replaces the beep test, so there'll be a new way for prospects' aerobic capacity to be measured. The new test sees players need to run between cones that are 20m apart at timed intervals. Participants have a 10-second recovery period between the 20m sprints where they are required to jog to another cone and then back to the starting point before the next shuttle begins. A prospect's score in the yo-yo test can be presented in total distance run, the level achieved or his maximum rate of oxygen consumption. For instance, reaching level 14.1 in the beep test was considered a very good run. In comparison, a basic conversion of level 14.1 in the beep test to the yo-yo is a level score of 22.2, which would be an accumulated distance of 1160 metres and a VO2 maximum of 61.1. So anything above the score of 22.2 is very good going.
2km time trial
Friday morning
New event
The 2km time trial replaces the 3km time trial which has closed the final event of the combine in recent years. The guys with elite running abilities should still be the clear winners, with Dylan Moore sure to be a chance. Lochie O'Brien has an elite athletics background and has had some time to prepare for the run, while Brayden Ainsworth would be Western Australia's best bet in this category.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-10-03/draft-combine-preview-who-will-impress
one-eyed:
AFL Draft Combine Day 1
afl.com.au
5 October 2017
BRISBANE Lions academy prospect Connor Ballenden showed his excellent foot skills for a key position prospect by posting a perfect score in the kicking test at the NAB AFL Draft Combine.
The 199cm teenager, who could attract a top-20 bid on draft night next month, had a perfect score with his six kicks, recording a 30/30 total.
He was the only player to ace the kicking test, which sees prospects kick to targets at different distances on their preferred and non-preferred foot.
Jack Higgins, Angus Schumacher, Jack Payne, Hayden McLean, Jackson Ross and Ned Reeves all scored 29 to be among the best performed as the testing got underway at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Ballenden had an inconsistent year and has been used in a number of different roles throughout the season – including in the ruck and across half-back – after starting the year viewed as a possible top-five selection.
Schumacher was also prominent in the goalkicking test, with the Bendigo Pioneers midfielder one of four players to record perfect scores with their five shots.
Jordan Houlahan, Ben Miller and Ross were the others to go through the test without missing a goal, including kicks on the run, as set shots and on their non-preferred side.
Ballenden kicked four goals from five shots, while possible top-10 pick Andrew Brayshaw was also one of seven prospects to kick four goals and a behind from his five attempts.
The athletic screening will begin on Thursday, with jumps, sprints and the new 'Yo-yo' test to take place across the day.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
Goalkicking test (score out of 30)
Jordan Houlahan 30
Angus Schumacher 30
Jackson Ross 30
Ben Miller 30
Jake Patmore 25
Ryley Stoddart 25
Changkuoth Jiath 25
Andrew Brayshaw 25
Connor Ballenden 25
Aaron Naughton 25
Aiden Bonar 25
Kicking test (score out of 30)
Connor Ballenden 30
Jack Higgins 29
Angus Schumacher 29
Jack Payne 29
Hayden McLean 29
Jackson Ross 29
Ned Reeves 29
Jordan Houlahan 28
Hunter Clark 28
Lloyd Meek 28
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-10-05/top-prospect-ballenden-kicks-perfect-score-at-combine
one-eyed:
AFL Draft Combine Day 2
Callum Twomey
afl.com.au
October 5, 2017 1:47 PM
AIDEN Bonar has underlined his elite athleticism on day three of the NAB AFL Draft Combine, with the talented prospect equaling the all-time standing vertical jump record.
The Dandenong Stingrays forward, who returned to the field in the middle of this season after two knee reconstructions, jumped 89cm in the test, drawing him level with Jordan Gallucci from last year's combine (Gallucci was drafted by Adelaide at pick No.15 last year).
But Bonar's impressive efforts didn't stop there. He also recorded a 2.90-second 20-metre sprint, placing him equal second in the speed test.
The 18-year-old looms as one of the most interesting prospects to place ahead of next month's NAB AFL Draft on the back of his injury history, but he is strong, powerful and explosive, and has remained in clubs' thoughts during his time on the sidelines.
Some recruiters see him pushing into the top-25 despite his limited exposure because of his knee issues.
Bonar was beaten to the top of the list in the 20-metre sprint by Northern Knights speedster Jack Petruccelle, who ran at 2.87 seconds to highlight is electric turn of pace.
Petruccelle entered the event as the clear favourite and ran 2.88, 2.87 and 2.87 in his three attempts. Kane Farrell impressed at 2.90 seconds, while Ben Miller and Nick Coffield, who both ran at 2.91, were also among the best performers.
Farrell, a neat-kicking left footer from the Bendigo Pioneers, and Miller, a tall forward from Western Australia, shared the honours in the agility test by running 8.10 seconds.
Another Bendigo pocket rocket Brent Daniels performed well with his sharp movement to run the agility test over 8.11 seconds.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
Smartspeed 20-metre sprint
Jack Petruccelle 2.87 seconds
Kane Farrell 2.90
Aiden Bonar 2.90
Ben Miller 2.91
Nick Coffield 2.91
Smartspeed agility test
Kane Farrell 8.10 seconds
Ben Miller 8.10
Brent Daniels 8.11
Trent Mynott 8.20
Nathan Kreuger 8.21
Standing vertical jump
Aiden Bonar 89cm
Kyron Hayden 82cm
Harrison Jones 79cm
Jordan Houlahan 77cm
Jordan Johnston 75cm
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-10-05/bonar-turning-heads-with-stunning-combine-results
Diocletian:
Bonar giving me a Boner.... :shh
Naish nowhere to be seen..... :shh :shh
Yeahright:
--- Quote from: Diocletian on October 05, 2017, 05:19:37 PM ---
Naish nowhere to be seen..... :shh :shh
--- End quote ---
Good, might drop his value a bit :shh
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