AFL draft bonanza: WA hopefuls given new showcase to impress recruiters, speak to clubs

The games will be played in round three (April 23 and 24) and round four (April 29 and 30). Recruiters from the east coast will potentially have the chance to watch every West Australian with draft potential play two games.

The WAFC will also organise player interview opportunities for clubs in the week between the rounds, expecting many clubs will leave their recruiters in Perth for the week.

“We sort of did it in 2018 and 2019 a little bit and since then we haven’t brought it back for a variety of reasons,” WAFL talent manager Scott Baker said.

Recruiters have complained that with increasingly fickle airfares post-pandemic they could not justify the flight to WA if they were only going to see one game. Colts matches were being played at different venues at the same time.

Baker noted the WAFC had already moved to accommodate a previous request to improve vision of all colts footy, making it available to all AFL clubs on the one streaming platform, and that the Super rounds would put WA talent further in the spotlight.

“They do like to watch live footy and many weeks every game of colts gets played at a different venue at the same time,” Baker said.

“Recruiters were telling us, ‘I can’t come over and just watch one game of colts – there is no real point’. They are all rapt.

“We will also try to facilitate some speed-dating style workshops during the week if recruiters stay over and clubs are keen to meet with players – their talent managers, footy managers, coaches, whoever.

“They have always said the more flexible you can make the fixturing, the better for us to view the players … we have tried to do that here.

“After round four or so, our players start to roll into state programs and that sort of stuff, national championship games which the recruiters will see anyway.

“Then at the back end of the year we might do a couple more (super rounds) I reckon. They can have a look at players post the championships as well.”

Baker added he did not believe that WA was underperforming at national drafts but the more confident recruiters could be of their choices, the more likely they were to read a player’s name out.

“It doesn’t guarantee getting more players drafted but they do definitely like watching them live,” he said.

“Vision is fine but you just don’t see the up-close stuff.

“Even little things are better viewed live. I was speaking to (Fremantle recruiter) David Walls and he loves being there live because you can gauge what sort of leader a player is in terms of encouraging teammates.

“What are they doing at the quarter time huddle? Are they just standing there or are they speaking to players, speaking to the coach and being proactive – all that stuff which you can’t gauge from the vision. It will be good and we are looking forward to it.”

It is not yet clear what sort of draft crop this shapes as for WA. Claremont key position player Daniel Curtin was best on ground in the AFL grand final curtain-raiser for ‘futures’ players coming into their draft year.

Curtin and three other West Australians: Peel ruckman Mitch Edwards, Subiaco forward Koltyn Tholstrup and Swans midfielder Riley Hardeman, were members of the AFL’s national talent academy last year.

“It is probably too early to tell,” Baker said of the local pool

“We have got some good players. I think it will be similar to last year but you never know because players just bob up.

“There will be national academy players who will be around the mark. I reckon a few of them will play league footy early in the year as well.

“It is hard to tell if there is a heap of high-end talent but it does feel like we will have a good mix.”

WA talent that recruiters will have an eye on

Daniel Curtin (Claremont): Member of the AFL academy who missed much of the 2022 season with a finger tendon problem but was best on ground in the AFL grand final curtain -raiser. The 196cm youngster played as a defender there but is set to be tried as a forward this year. Probably the pick of the WA crop.

Koltyn Tholstrup: (Subiaco): Could bob up in the Subiaco seniors early in the season. He is from Esperance, a 188cm hybrid forward who can take a big mark and also go into the midfield. Kicked 30 goals from 15 colts games last year and was an AFL academy member. Strongly built with a strong belief in himself and a big personality.

Mitch Edwards (Peel): Peel ruck teammate Jackson Broadbent won the medal for best afield in the 2022 colts grand final, but Edwards also played a big role in the Thunder premiership with 11 disposals, 19 hitouts and a goal. A 205cm ruckman, 2022 AFL academy member and Fremantle NGA prospect, who the Dockers probably won’t see because he will be well inside the top 40 on draft night.

Riley Hardeman (Swan Districts): The fourth member of the AFL academy from WA in 2022. He is a 185cm running machine with a deadly left foot. Spent the last month in 2022 playing reserves at Swans after dominating colts earlier in the season, averaging 26 disposals per game. Could pop up in the league team early in the season.

Ethan Logan (Peel): Hard working 186cm mid/forward who has the capacity to hit the scoreboard, as he showed in a late-season colts match when he booted six goals for Peel against Swan Districts. Like several teammates, he passed up the chance to play in the AFL grand final curtain-raiser to be part of his WAFL club’s colts premiership win over West Perth.

Clay Hall (Peel): Has a bit of footy pedigree about him as the son of former Geelong forward Derek Hall, who played 74 games for the Cats between 1995 and 2000 after two games at West Coast. Clay is another Peel colts premiership player, the same size as his dad at 189cm, and a strong big-game performer. Averaged 21 disposals across four finals for Peel.

Aiden O’Driscoll (Perth): More footy pedigree here. The 172cm midfielder is the younger brother of Fremantle AFL star Nathan and Dockers AFLW star Emma. Is described as a “speed-endurance machine” who, like Nathan, has a penchant for getting forward and kicking a spectacular goal. Key player for Wesley in PSA footy in 2022.

Koen Sanchez (East Fremantle): Compact forward who gave the WA Under 18s team a timely boost late in last year’s national championships. He is 176cm tall, has a few tricks, a touch of class and kicked two goals in a strong performance when WA beat South Australia at Joondalup late in the carnival. Played in the AFL grand final curtain-raiser.

Coen Livingstone (Perth): He is a 197cm ruckman who has a knack of finding the footy as well as contesting the hit outs. The nephew of former Hawk and current West Coast development coach Chance Bateman he is an Eagles NGA Prospect from York. Averaged 17 disposals and 14 hit outs a game for the Demons colts team last year.

Elijah Scoble (Perth): He is a 195cm lock-down defender who is rapidly improving his intercept game to loom as a strong draft prospect in 2023. Came from Mazenod College and impressed scouts with the resolve and composure he showed in a back line that was often under siege at colts level in 2022.

Lance Collard (Subiaco): Midfielder from North Beach juniors whose strong colts form earned him a place in the WA 18s summer squad. Works hard both ways. While he is just 180cm and lightly framed, he has a strong and clean game around stoppages.

Evan Smith (Swan Districts): A 198cm ruckman who was a dominant big man at hitouts in 2022 and impressed with his consistency across the season. Viewed as a long-term prospect whose progress will be watched very closely.

Reece Torrent (Peel): Was one of the stars of Peel’s colts grand final win with 24 disposals and two goals for the game. A forward who has a few tricks. He finished second in the premiership team’s best and fairest and was named the player of the finals.