WILL PATTONWest Adelaide FC/ Mitcham FC
Date of Birth 04/01/05; Height 193 cm, Weight 81kg
SANFL U18 Average Ranking Points: 119 points (5 games)
A composed left-footed defender, Patton has grown a further 3cm in the past 12 months which has allowed him to play on both medium and taller opposition forwards. He uses the ball exceptionally well by hand and foot and sets up the play with his ball use. Patton made an excellent start to this year, averaging 21.8 disposals, 4.6 marks and 3.4 tackles across his first five matches at under-18 level. A state representative in cricket as a junior, he is now fully focused on a potential AFL career and is a member of the AFL Academy.
ETHAN READGold Coast Suns Academy/Palm Beach Currumbin FC
Date of Birth 07/08/05; Height 202 cm; Weight 87kg
NAB League Average Ranking Points: 118 points (4 games)
A ruckman or tall forward, Read also looks capable of playing as a tall defender down the track given his skillset. He is a strong overhead mark and an excellent kick and also has the running capacity to cover the ground and win the ball in numerous situations. Read has been in great form for the Suns Academy in the Coates Talent League, averaging 20 disposals, 6 marks and 19.5 hit-outs across his first four matches. He is set to again play for the Allies in the under-18 national championships after impressing as a bottom-aged player last year.
WILL LORENZOakleigh Chargers/Boroondara Hawks FC/Marcellin College
Date of Birth-19/02/05; Height 186 cm; Weight 70kg
NAB League Average Ranking Points: 116 points (2 games)
A lightly-built wingman or forward, Lorenz produced some eye-catching matches last year. In a Victorian Futures game against Queensland, he had 32 disposals and kicked three goals. He went on to feature for Team Murphy on the MCG on AFL Grand Final day last year and logged 24 disposals, nine marks and a goal to give a further indication of his undoubted potential. A left-footer who has good speed and a neat step through traffic, Lorenz had a disrupted summer due to injury but is now back on track. He played two of the first three games in the Coates Talent League, averaging 20 disposals (13 uncontested) and 6 score involvements. Lorenz is the grandson of former Hawthorn great Graham Arthur.
WILL BROWNSandringham Dragons/East Brighton FC/Kawana Park Eagles FC-Qld
Date of Birth-16/06/05; Height-194 cm; Weight 85kg
NAB League Average Ranking Points: 115 points (5 games)
A tall midfielder or forward who was a premiership player with the Dragons in his bottom-age year, Brown has been given the responsibility as captain this year. He started the season impressively, averaging 22.4 disposals (11.8 contested), 6.6 clearances and 0.8 goals per game from his first five games in the Coates Talent League after moving into the midfield. He is a player who is a strong contested ball winner and a one-touch player with terrific work ethic.
WILL McCABECentral Districts FC/ Tanunda FC/ Sacred Heart College
Date of Birth 29/09/05; Height 197 cm; Weight 82kg
SANFL U18 Average Ranking Points: 112 points (6 games)
A tall defender who has also gone forward this year, McCabe is continuing to develop nicely. He won All-Australian under-16 honours last year after playing as an approved overage player in the national championships. Playing at under-18s level in the SANFL this season, he has made a very strong start to his year, averaging 20.7 disposals and 5.7 marks across his first six matches. McCabe is a very competitive player who has a good natural leap and is strong overhead. He is eligible to join Hawthorn under the AFL’s father-son rule this year, as the son of former Hawks star Luke McCabe, who played 138 games for the club.
COOPER SIMPSONDandenong Stingrays/Mt Martha FC/Flinders Christian College.
Date of Birth 13/02/05; Height 182 cm; Weight 76kg
NAB League Average Ranking Points: 106 points (4 games)
An ultra-professional midfielder with pace, composure and great finishing skills, Simpson also has a neat step through traffic and runs hard offensively and defensively. He has shown the ability to perform when challenged and in the big moments when the game is on the line. Simpson has started the season in good touch with the Stingrays, averaging 21 disposals (8.8 contested) in four matches. He then had the opportunity to play both with Casey in the VFL and against Port Adelaide’s SANFL team with the Australian under 18s, giving him an insight into the next level.
ARCHIE ROBERTSSandringham Dragons/Hampton Rovers FC/Haileybury College
Data of Birth 18/11/05; Height 184 cm; Weight 77kg
NAB League Average Ranking Points: 101 points (3 games)
A left-footed halfback who is a penetrating kick, Roberts is a fine interceptor of the ball and uses his anticipation and clean hands to have an impact. He had an excellent season with the Dragons last year, including racking up 21 disposals in their winning Grand Final side. He went on to log 26 disposals on the MCG on AFL Grand Final day last year as part of the Futures game in another eye-catching performance. Roberts was also among Vic Metro’s best with 25 disposals against the Young Guns and showed off his clean ball handling and good kicking skills despite wet and slippery conditions. He was also good with 17 disposals for Australia’s under-18 team in its match against Carlton’s VFL side in May.
CONNOR O’SULLIVANMurray Bushrangers/ Albury FC/Xavier High School-Albury
Date of Birth 19/05/05; Height 198 cm; Weight 92 kg
NAB League Average Ranking Points: 120 points (4 games)
A tall forward or defender who has continued to mature physically, O’Sullivan has grown another 3cm and is a player developing his knowledge as a forward and a defender. He has an exciting natural leap, while good speed has been another weapon in his roles either end of the ground. O’Sullivan has been a consistent performer for the Bushrangers in the early part of the season, averaging 19.8 disposals and 7.5 marks in his first four matches. Being from Albury in NSW, he looks set to play with the Allies in the under-18 national championships.
NATHAN PHILACTIDESOakleigh Chargers/ Blackburn FC/Yarra Valley Grammar
Date of Birth 10/01/05; Height 181 cm; Weight 78 kg
NAB League Average Ranking Points: 82 points (5 games)
A left-footed defender, Philactides burst on the scene last year when he averaged 19.5 disposals across two matches for Vic Metro in the national championships as a bottom-aged player. Coming from an athletics background, he was once ranked in the top-five in the world in the 400 metres hurdles, so it was no surprise when he posted a quick time of 7.9 seconds in the agility test during pre-season testing. Philactides also caught the eye for Vic Metro in its challenge game against the Young Guns, racking up 25 disposals across half-back to finish as one of his team’s best players. He again put his impressive pace and agility on display that day, despite wet conditions. Across five Coates Talent League games this year, he has averaged 19.2 disposals and 6.2 rebound-50s.
https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/afl-draft-2023-kevin-sheehans-top-30-prospects-from-across-the-country/news-story/9732add92cc0655631aca6d64ad5fe3c
