Top 5 draft prospects00:26:06
Top 5 draft prospects
WHEN clubs go scouting for their newest recruits in the national draft, their binoculars aren’t solely focused on Under 18s talent.
The best mature-aged talent in state leagues are also looking for an opportunity that has perhaps once passed them by.
This year’s SANFL crop is littered with talent, with as many as 10 players hoping to join the two that were drafted as rookies last season.
Adelaide picked up Jonathon Beech from the SANFL, while Gold Coast set its sights on his West Adelaide teammate Tom Keough.
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Fox Footy profiles the next batch of SANFL talent hoping to make their name in on an AFL list.
Brett Eddy (South Adelaide)
Age: 27
Position: Key Forward
2016 SANFL Numbers: He averaged 3.7 goals per game — almost a goal per game more than anyone else in the SANFL. He averaged two contested marks per match.
Fox Footy says: Eddy is a 193cm forward who has attracted the interest of Port Adelaide after three outstanding seasons with South Adelaide. He kicked 74 goals this year, backing up hauls of 61 and 42 majors in his first two years in the SANFL. He’s very mobile for his size, is a good mark on the lead and is an accurate set-shot in front of goal. Given the Power’s desire for another key position forward following the departure of Jay Schulz, there’s no surprise they’re keeping tabs on Eddy.
Luke Reynolds (Port Adelaide)
Age: 21
Position: General Forward
2016 SANFL Numbers: He averaged 2.5 goals per game — the most of any player rated as a ‘General Forward’ by Champion Data. He rated highly for contested marking and marks inside 50.
Fox Footy says: A former Carlton rookie, Reynolds returned to Port Adelaide in 2015 after failing to make his debut in only one season with the Blues. At 188cm, he’s a difficult match-up inside forward 50 and booted 43 goals last season. He’s a reliable left-foot kick and can impact the game both in the air and on ground level. He drew comparisons to Lance Franklin in his draft year, but slipped through to Carlton as a rookie due to concerns surrounding his consistency.
Willie Rioli (Glenelg)
Age: 21
Position: Small Forward
2016 SANFL Numbers: He kicked two bags of five goals and one bag of four goals, but kicked multiple goals in only one of the other 12 matches he played. He rated highly for goals and score assists.
Fox Footy says: The cousin of Cyril, the 175cm livewire got people talking this year after significantly improving his fitness base and producing some exciting performances for Glenelg. He booted four goals for a SANFL representative team against a VFL side earlier this year and backed it up with a five-goal haul in a match-winning performance against Norwood. Quick, energetic and able to turn a match in a moment, Rioli is one to watch ahead of this year’s draft.
Jarrod Lienert (Sturt)
Age: 22
Position: Midfielder-Forward
2016 SANFL Numbers: Not the best prospect from a stats perspective. He was rated above average for intercept possessions.
Fox Footy says: An interesting 195cm prospect, Lienert is a versatile option for AFL clubs and can play virtually anywhere on the field. Starting the season as a key-position defender with Sturt, the wiry Lienert had stints through the ruck, but arguably did his best work on a wing and across half-forward. He improved his ball-winning numbers significantly in 2016, taking out the SANFL Rising Star award as a result of his improvement.
Sam Baulderstone (Norwood)
Age: 26
Position: Ruck
2016 SANFL Numbers: He has averaged more than 14 disposals and more than 100 Champion Data ranking points in his last four seasons. He rated elite for both hit-outs and hit-outs to advantage last year.
Fox Footy says: Standing at 200cm, Baulderstone lost a heap of weight in order to realise his SANFL dream and has since become one of the competition’s leading big men. He is a fantastic tap ruckman, but is also handy around the ground and has a reliable left-foot kick. Given the AFL is light on experienced ruck options, Baulderstone could prove a handy deputy to a senior side.
Chris Jansen (Central Districts)
Age: 21
Position: Midfielder
2016 SANFL Numbers: He was the best accumulator in the SANFL. He ranked second for disposals and third for uncontested possessions.
Fox Footy says: Having found his name on AFL radars last season, Jansen will try his luck again in 2016 after another strong year with Central Districts. The big-bodied midfielder stands at 189cm and is a prolific ball-winner, with consistent improvement leading to him becoming one of the SANFL’s most impressive young midfielders. He’s got age and versatility on his side, making him an intriguing prospect for recruiters around the country.
Travis Schiller (Central Districts)
Age: 22
Position: Midfielder
2016 SANFL Numbers: His ability to win the footy is his biggest asset. He ranked inside the top five of the SANFL for disposals, contested possessions and clearances.
Fox Footy says: Schiller is a diminutive midfielder who averaged big numbers in the SANFL across last season. Standing at only 175cm, he didn’t let his small frame weaken his prospects of being drafted as a mature-age recruit. He wins plenty of the footy, uses it pretty well and is a dangerous prospect in the forward half of the ground, where his efficiency often leads to scoreboard impact. He’s also a good clearance player that is just as able to win the ball on the outside.
Kaine Stevens (West Adelaide)
Age: 24
Position: Midfielder
2016 SANFL Numbers: He did most of his work in the forward half of the ground. He ranked fourth for midfielders for inside 50s and rated above average for goals and score assists.
Fox Footy says: Having spent a year in an AFL system when he was with Greater Western Sydney in 2010, Stevens would have remained on some clubs’ radars given his strong SANFL form. He wins plenty of the footy and can have an impact both on the inside and the outside. Crucially, he can go forward and hit the scoreboard. He kicks plenty of goals from the midfield and finished second in West Adelaide’s best and fairest last season.
Nick Holman (Central Districts)
Age: 21
Position: Midfielder
2016 SANFL Numbers: He was strong at stoppages, but didn’t win a heap of the footy. His 1.4 score assists per match was ranked equal-first in the SANFL among all midfielders.
Fox Footy says: A nine-game player at Carlton after he was drafted to the Blues with Pick 51 in 2013, Holman was delisted at the end of last year and returned to Central Districts. In the SANFL, he put his best foot forward for an AFL return, impressing with his workrate, tackling and intensity. Although he lacks a bit of polish, he’s a hard worker and will consistently put his body on the line.
Josh Scott (Glenelg)
Age: 21
Position: Key Forward
2016 SANFL Numbers: His 13 disposals per match was the second most of any key forward in the competition. He also kicked 2.3 goals per match.
Fox Footy says: Scott was overlooked in his draft year, despite winning the 2013 Morrish Medal for the TAC Cup’s best player after booting 51 goals for the year. The 190cm key forward has since joined Glenelg and won the club’s best and fairest last season, having booted 42 goals throughout the campaign.
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