Road to the Draft
Cal Twomey & Nat Edwards
Mid season draft rookie favourites
Number 1 contenders
George Wardlaw power and explosiveness on display against pies, 18 disposals and 8 tackles, big mark, can leap. won the best on ground medal
Hard to seperate with Will Ashcroft, went up in estimations again. 24 disposals kicked a goal won 4 clearances and played half back and half forward as well.
Given bid unlikely to come at 1, interesting where he is picked if nominates Lions.
Elijah Tsatas 17 disposals and kicked a goal.
Jedd Buslinger 12 touches and a few marks in defence. (NAB AFL Auskicker of the year in 2012 and presented medal to Adam Goodes in grand final) Then with NAB a Mentor experience with Joel Selwood
Jasper Fletcher - father son Adrian Fletcher - Lions eligible
Anthony Munkara - 11 tocuhes 1 goal, quite exciting. has to get past top 40 picks to be eligible for essendon, will be unlikely at this stage.
The whole academy game vs pies is on AFL youtube channel plus AFL app.
Clubs have until after round 11 to open more spots for mid season draft, deadline next week.
last year 7 ruckmen in 22 picks.
A few clubs ruck stocks tested - Hawthorn, Geelong for example.
Jai Culley (193cm mid) & Wade Derkson (Key forward) both taken interest from number of clubs + Max Ramsden (ruck)
Josh Carmichael 188cm taller mid concession from AFL for draft.
Wade Derksen - 3 years ago partner fell pregnant, moved to melbourne to make it in footy (Essendon VFL)
Moved in November then coronavirus started did electrical apprenticeship.
Bad run of injuries, niggles stayed on with essendon year after played against Brisbane VFL round 1, played as a forward, (not key forward) then pushed out and injured with sunbury lions, then next year VFL season canned, so decided to move back home to Darwin, for Nightcliff tigers, then Peel thunder general manger scouted him and offered him place in WA.
Didnt feel out of place at Essendon.
Trained with Dockers for 8 weeks in preseason this year to assist development.
Grown up playing forward pocket as short stumpy, then Grew 12cm in 2 years he is 196cm now. Playing key position forward and relief ruck these days. But is also a mobile ruckman when spends time there can be like 4th midfielder once ball hits the deck. Has spent time down back as well.
Eagles/Fremantle - talked briefly with Fremantle, but dunno what position he is in at the moment. Initially knocked back exemption to be eligible, then AFL eventually said eligible.
willing to move if made it onto AFL list
Dad goes for Essendon, he jusmped on the band wagon when down there, but probably supports fremantle now, given time spent there recently. Models game on Charlie Curnow, likes how he plays.