‘He’s got all the tricks’: Oliver Wiltshire looms as potential AFL draft bolter after starring for Barwon Heads

The 20-year-old from the Bellarine Peninsula has shot up as a local-football bolter for this year’s AFL drafts.

Recruiters believe Geelong is interested in the Barwon Heads midfielder, with one suggesting the Cats are “dead-keen’’ on him.

Another club sent a scout to watch Wiltshire last Saturday.

Wiltshire is a Barwon Heads junior and had a stint with the Geelong Falcons in 2021.

Returning to Barwon Heads last year, he was runner-up in the best and fairest for a premiership team coached by Dan Donati.

Donati, now coaching Old Brighton in the Victorian amateurs, told CODE Sports he had heard “three or four’’ AFL clubs were tracking Wiltshire, who has received at least one nomination for the state combine.

“He’s a beauty. He’s quick, he’s got a massive tank, magnificent skills on both sides of the body, he’s inside, he’s outside, he reads the play well, he’s courageous,’’ Donati said.

“There’s not much of him – he’s got to fill out – but he’s got all the tricks.

“I played him every game last year – I think he missed one with concussion – and he just blossomed. To be runner-up in the ‘B&F’ as a 19-year-old, that’s pretty rare, and from what I’m led to believe he’s dominated this year.’’

Donati added: “He’s a ripper. I’d be so happy for him if that (getting drafted) happened. It would be great for the club and the competition too.’’

After missing three matches with a shoulder injury, Wiltshire returned to the Barwon Heads team last Saturday for its qualifying final against Drysdale, and was named in the best players in a two-point victory.

In 16 games this season he has gained 11 mentions in the best and kicked 48 goals, including a bag of 12 against eventual finalist Modewarre and three hauls of five.

After Wiltshire’s performance against Modewarre, Torquay coach Dom Gleeson told the Geelong Advertiser: “When I saw the scoreline and saw they won by almost 200 points, my first thought was, ‘Who has kicked a big bag?’

“It doesn’t surprise me that it’s Ollie, he has an ability to bob up in the right spots and find the ball, he’s a really classy player and a really good finisher too. We’ll put a bit of time into him during the week to make sure he doesn’t get off the chain again, players like that ride that confidence a bit after a big bag.

“He’s probably at the age where he’ll start to assess whether he wants to play at a higher level, but he’s a cracking player at Barwon Heads for now.”

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Geelong great Matthew Scarlett, who memorably helped deliver gun defender Tom Stewart from South Barwon to the Cats, is an assistant coach at Barwon Heads this season.

Last year Collingwood nabbed a player from country football, taking Wangaratta Magpie and 22-year-old school teacher Joe Richards at No.48 in the national draft.

Richards has played 12 games in the VFL this year.