AS THE 2007 AFL NAB National Draft approaches, afl.com.au's Jason Phelan runs through the hot prospects by position.
Each player's vital statistics are as measured at the NAB AFL Draft Camp, which ran from October 2-5 at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. The players are listed in no particular order.
Tall Forwards
Robbie Tarrant - Bendigo Pioneers, VIC, 195.9cm, 90.1kg, DOB 25/4/89
Honours
- Vic Country representative - NAB AFL Under-18 Championships 2007
NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights
- Vertical Standing Jump - 68cm (10th overall)
- Shuttle Run - 14-2 (10th overall)
Kevin Sheehan, AFL National Talent Manager says:
“When your brother [Chris] is a well-known AFL player, there can be a fair bit of pressure. Last year he got to NAB AFL Draft Camp and it may have had a little bit to do with the fact that his brother had been there and as a 17-year-old he probably wasn’t quite ready and had had some injuries.
“Again injuries weren’t too kind to him this year. When the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships were on he played the first game, but was obviously sore and didn’t play in the next couple. He overcame that late in the year and played an outstanding game at centre half-back for Bendigo, but the way he then presented at Draft Camp was what said to people that this kid might well be ready.
“His speed was under three seconds over 20m. Now that’s elite level for someone 196cm tall. He did a 2.98 time and then backed it up with a 14-2 beep test which is elite endurance, so he’s got the speed-endurance combination at 196cm tall and he’s obviously, by presenting himself in that fashion, said ‘I’m prepared to do the work’. It makes you look at him in a different light; this young man will work hard, he’s a lovely size and you’d need to look at some of the games he played well early in the year and then at the end of the year because he’s had some injury frustration.
“There’s some clubs that would now start to really closely assess some of the football he played this year because his athleticism is quite outstanding.”
Tony Notte - Swan Districts, WA, 194.5cm, 71.5kg, DOB 15/4/90
Honours
- Western Australia representative - winners of the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships
Alan McConnell, AIS-AFL High Performance Coach says:
“Tony is still quite lean for a tall forward but he has a lovely attack on the ball; he keeps his eye on the ball in contested situations very, very well. He presents very well and plays in front as a good forward should, which sounds like a given but the reality is it’s not; some boys do that far more effectively than others. He influences the play when he’s got the ball in his hands.
“He’s a lovely young man who is quietly spoken, who influences his team and his peers by what he does rather than by what he says.”
Jarrad Grant - Dandenong Stingrays, VIC, 192.4cm, 76.7kg, DOB 6/7/89
Honours
- Vic Metro representative - NAB AFL Under-18 Championship 2007
NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights
- 20m Sprint - 2.89 sec (4th overall)
Kevin Sheehan, AFL National Talent Manager says:
“The biggest feature of him, probably, is that he has grown a lot in the past year to be about six foot four inches in the old language, but he was the quickest guy over five metres at the Camp. He’s lightning quick and then over the 20 metres he was in the top 5 per cent again. He’s got terrific hands; his marking ability on the lead from the forward line is exceptional.
“He was very good in the Victorian trials playing for Vic Metro and we know he’s capable also of playing in defence. He was dominant for Vic Metro at under-16 level a couple of years ago playing across half-back, so forward or back he’s a good size and super quick. He’s got a light frame at the minute, but he’s got the sort of frame that will develop, so he’s quite exciting and showed some special attributes at Draft Camp.”
Lachlan Henderson - Geelong Falcons, VIC, 195.5cm, 91.5kg, DOB 14/12/89
Honours
- Vic Country representative - NAB AFL Under-18 Championship 2007
- AIS-AFL Academy graduate
NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights
- Handspan - 25.0cm (7th overall)
Alan McConnell, AIS-AFL High Performance Coach says:
“Lachie has had a challenging year with injuries, but was a key player in Geelong College’s premiership in APS (Associated Public School) footy 12 months ago; he was a pivotal player there.
“He hasn’t had a great opportunity to present to the industry this year through injury, but he can play both forward and back and has done some work in the ruck. Most of his TAC Cup footy has been up forward and in the ruck, but he has also played some school football in defence and, in my mind, that may be where he finishes up.”
David Gourdis - Subiaco, WA, 192.4cm, 88.9kg, DOB 14/3/89
Honours
- Western Australia representative - winners of the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships
NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights
- 20m Sprints - 2.83 (1st overall)
- Vertical Standing Jump - 81 cm (1st overall)
- Repeat Sprints - 24.22 sec (6th overall)
Kevin Sheehan, AFL National Talent Manager says:
“Gourdis you just couldn’t ignore at Draft Camp where he tested in the top 1 per cent of anyone [in Camp history] for speed. At 192cm he did a 2.83 second time which was the quickest at Camp and he was up in the top bracket with the repeat sprints as well, and his vertical jump was again in the top 1 per cent of the kids we’ve ever tested. What that says to you - it doesn’t say ‘you are going to play AFL football’ - it says that you’ve got enormous athletic ability. He’s a WA under-18 rep this year so you’ll go back and have a good look at him playing for them. He’s a lead-up forward with that kind of speed and spring.
“He’s still developing as a player with his use of the footy and his decision making, but he’s got wonderful athletic ability and at his age there’s still scope for plenty of improvement in him. He’s got some attributes that will take all the clubs take notice and assess their football evaluation of him.”
Jon Haines, Talent and Coaching Manager WA Football Commission says:
“David blew us away with his sprint work for a guy of his size. He played mainly in key position roles for Subiaco this year - both forward and back - more so at centre half-forward in the colts. He works pretty hard up the ground and with that pace he causes a few headaches for defenders.
“He’s a very team-oriented player; probably overly so. One thing he could probably do is keep the ball to himself a little bit more; he tends to go over and above in terms of bringing other players into the game, but he’s a very coachable and flexible young player with a lot of the attributes that clubs are looking for.”
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