AFL mid-season draft: A surprise Western Australian candidate has emerged after medicals were conducted

CODE Sports understands the other two WA boys were Claremont key forward Jack Buller, who has been widely talked about as a strong draft prospect, and Subiaco speedster Robert Hansen Junior, who has also been the subject of draft speculation.

CODE Sports also understands that Coburg’s Brandon Ryan, a lanky key position player who has re-emerged from the football wilderness and is a cousin of Fremantle’s Luke Ryan, was a popular medical request from AFL clubs, strengthening his prospects of being taken in the draft.

Hunter was on the draft radar of a number of clubs after a strong colts campaign in the 2020 season but had his dreams shattered in the pre-season of 2022 when he ruptured his ACL in a practice match.

He has worked his way back into senior football at the start of this year and been mightily impressive, kicking four goals against West Coast in his first senior match, then following with two goals against West Perth in round six.

The 21-year old Hunter is 196 centimetres tall and 93 kilogram with a frame that will develop well in a full time AFL program.

He has also shown remarkable resilience in the past two seasons after being considered unlucky to miss out on being drafted after the 2020 season.

Before his 2022 campaign had been ended by his knee injury he had most of 2021 wiped out by a serious elbow injury.

He fought his way back into Perth’s senior team with an impressive run of form in the WAFL reserves, kicking 12 goals in three games including a haul of five goals against Peel Thunder.

Hansen Junior is 19 years old from Goldfields club Mines Rovers and has played five of the six games this season in the Subiaco League team after playing reserves in round one.

Recruiters rate him as a very impressive pressure forward with exceptional closing speed and “a few tricks”.

He has kicked three goals in his five WAFL games but did impress scouts in a pre-season hit out against West Coast, kicking two goals when the Eagles had few injuries and plenty of AFL listed players on the field before their injury curse struck them in the round three Western Derby against Fremantle.

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Hansen is just 70kg and would be a long-term prospect if taken, needing to spend a summer in the gym to strengthen his frame before being effective at AFL level.

Buller is considered WA”s strongest mid-season draft prospect and will put his credentials on display on Friday afternoon when he plays as the primary marking target in attack for the WA state team against the SANFL at Adelaide Oval in a curtain raiser to Port Adelaide’s clash with Melbourne.

The 199cm, 100kg forward ruck has taken 35 marks in four WAFL games so far this year and kicked eight goals. Many feel Buller was unlucky not to be taken at the end of 2022 after a powerful performance in the WAFL grand final when he threatened to take the game by the throat in the second half before West Perth steadied to win.