You know this thread is for players not currently on AFL lists?
Thatâs ridiculous rational, football can always football
Background assessments are one of the most important things clubs do - a Melbourne based recruiter told me their club wouldnât remotely consider Shane Yarran due to the background issues - so I suspect Pickett will be another Shane Yarran, his best and possibly only shot is going to come from the WA clubs and Fremantle just got burnt with Yarran, so may not be willing to gamble again so quickly. Ability to play football isnât always the primary consideration for clubs and Pickett will turn 27 before next season starts, so heâs already got 2 aspects that will turn most clubs off.
Who is this Matthew Parker and what does he do?
Peter Parkers brother?
Might be into board games?
I would hope anything to do with Shane Yarran is taken in no consideration what so ever when it comes to assessing Pickettâs draftability.
The racial profiling in here is pathetic.
Btw, Iâm not calling either of you racist, but we have 2 people in this thread in the last 10 or so posts discount this lad because his last name, and because some other indigenous prospect didnât work out.
Come on guys, youâre better than that.
Any athletic Sudanese backmam kicking around the state leagues?
I really want one of those.
I know heâs not a backman, but whatâs Gach Nyuon doing these daysâŚapart from scaring the suitcase out of Peter Dutton?
Is the profiling based on their race or their background?
Not sure if srs.
And one of the other twelve is STRACHAN.
Stolen from Yoda from Big Footy:
Just on the state combine invitees for the VFL revealed, not a bad list. As mentioned, some stiff to miss but you still need 3 clubs interested in you to be invited to the state combine.
For those of you unfamiliar with these guys;
Marty â â â â - medium defender who has come on in leaps at and bounds in the past 24 months.
Nick Hind - small speedster who can play off half back or as a running midfielder. Similat to Luke Dalhause
Will âBillyâ Hayes - Bigger bodied midifielder who does everything well. Best season yet for the Bulldogs in the VFL.
Corey Rich - Small marking fwd who started the year exceptionally well for the unheralded Dolphins. Marks it well, kicks goals. Power packet.
Ethan Phillips - First year VFL key defender who defends well with his reading of the play.
Jake Aarts - Former Bendigo Gold player who was invited down to Melbourne. A medium utility, he can play fwd or back.
Sam Collins - Best player in the VFL. Most know about his exploits in the VFL this season. Former Docker will almost certainly get another go.
Brett Bewley - Lethal left footer who rose to prominence last year after turning potential into performance. Defender who could translate to the highest level.
Jay Lockhart - Another medium defender who has come to the fore this year having come from no where.
Kieran Strachan - Came to prominence with a dominant game last year for the Bombers VFL side. Was released mid season to play more consistently for the Borough. Lots of upside in the 22 year old.
Charlie Thompson - Lots are talking up this small forward. Quick with plenty of tricks. Lots to like
Hayden McClean - Lots of positives in this big lump of a lad. Question marks still surround H and his mobility translating to AFL level.
Ben Cavarra - The VFL version of Shane Nelson. Just does his job week in week out. No fuss small utility.
The VFL version of who? Willie Nelson, Ricky Nelson, Ozzie& Harriet Nelson, Admiral Nelson, Full Nelson and Half Nelson
Pickett also tested at the state combine in 2015 so there might just be no need to re-test him.
WILLIAMSTOWN coach Andy Collins wants to know how Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew takes his coffee.
The triple Hawks premiership player â now one of the VFLâs leading mentors â is seeking an audience with Dew, where he would sell him on the merit of drafting Sam Mitchell-clone Mick Gibbons.
Gibbons, 23, is just one of the Seagulls whose name perennially arises as an AFL-worthy talent, with Ben Cavarra, Brett Bewley and Lachie Schultz also occupying that space.
The VFL is a proven breeding ground for AFL recruiting bargains, so itâs not pie-in-the-sky stuff.
Bayley Fritsch, Billy Gowers, Brody Mihocek, Cam OâShea, David Mirra and Sam Switkowski made it onto AFL lists last year â and all will have played at the highest level by weekendâs end.
The 2018 class has promise, too, including two compelling cases at Werribee in former Dockers defender Sam Collins and strong-marking forward Josh Corbett.
Marty â â â â has put together another fine VFL campaign for Collingwood, while ex-AFL discards Jesse Palmer and Sam Fisher are turning heads at the Northern Blues.
Donât sleep on Geelong tackling machine Tom Atkins, Coburgâs Marcus Lentini â who leads the VFL in disposals and contested possessions â or Mihocekâs defensive replacement at Port Melbourne, Ethan Phillips, either.
Thirteen VFL footballers will attend the national, state or Rookie Me draft combines, so expect more Victorian state league talent to join the AFL in November.
Jake Aarts (Richmond)
The boy from Beaconsfield in Melbourneâs south-eastern suburbs has toiled away at VFL level for several seasons, firstly at the defunct Bendigo Gold and now at the Tigers. Former St Kilda star Aussie Jones is a big fan of Aarts, a hard-working, super-fit small forward who is part of Richmondâs VFL leadership group.
Ben Cavarra (Williamstown)
Won the 2013 Morrish Medal as the TAC Cupâs best and fairest player and hasnât stopped racking up accolades since â and remains on the AFL radar as he prepares to turn 23. Cavarra transitioned into a small forward in recent seasons, and has kicked 26 goals from 15 games in 2018.
Sam Collins (Werribee)
Takes marks for fun down back, with no player in the VFL amassing more of the contested or intercept variety this year. His huge work-rate and ability to read the ball off the boot of opposition players saw him dubbed the VFLâs equivalent to Alex Rance by one coach. Projects as a second tall at AFL level.
Josh Corbett (Werribee)
Regularly claims pack-busting grabs, his work ethic is strong and his goalkicking has improved to the point he is a safe bet in front of the sticks. The 190cm forward was the sole VFL player to score an invitation to the national Draft Combine, but an eye injury has kept him sidelined since late June.
Campbell Floyd (Geelong)
The wildcard in the pack. Is the Colac kid the Catsâ next player to be plucked from obscurity? Is slight and stands 186cm, but does some eye-catching things that stand out as much as his dreadlocks. Loves to take the game on down back with his speed and athleticism and is a good kick, too.
Will Hayes (Footscray)
The natural ball-winner has long graduated from the forward line into the midfield and is averaging 26 touches per game in 2018. His 16.1 uncontested possessions rank second in the VFL, and it wouldnât surprise if the Bulldogs dipped into their state league team again for Hayes, as they did with Billy Gowers.
Nick Hind (Essendon)
Boasts breakneck speed â a quality many AFL clubs are looking for â and uses it smartly to be an attacking weapon on the spread for the Bombers. Hindâs skillset, including neat ball use, caused Port Melbourne coach Gary Ayres âangstâ last weekend and the ex-Hawthorn champion described him as a âready-madeâ AFL option.
Marty â â â â (Collingwood)
The 22-year-old leads all non-AFL-listed players for kicking efficiency (77.4 per cent) among the top 100 players for kicks in the VFL. There were queries about his mobility in the past, but only Sam Collins averages more intercept marks, and â â â â provides genuine drive from defence off his trusty left boot.
Jay Lockhart (Casey)
Left his North Launceston clubmates behind to chase his AFL dream for Melbourneâs VFL affiliate Casey this year and has comfortably adjusted to the rise in standard. His kicking skills are a strength, as is his speed away from the contest. Was best afield for Tasmania in the 2017 state clash with the NEAFL.
Hayden McLean (Sandringham)
Captained Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup before stepping up to the VFL in 2018, where his 197cm frame has allowed him to play as both a key forward and in the ruck. McLeanâs contested marking should appeal to recruiters, and the dearth of big man options might play in his favour.
Corey Rich (Frankston)
Booted six goals in the Young Guns game in May to put his name up in lights, but heâs been doing it all season for the Dolphins. Rich, who is strong aerobically, also kicked bags of six, five and four in the VFL this year, and is thriving on the extra opportunity after crossing from Sandringham
GOLD Coast and West Coast are tracking ready-to-go South Fremantle midfielder Marlion Pickett ahead of a near-certain step up to AFL ranks next season.
AFL.com.au understands the Suns, keen to bolster their onball stocks, have spoken to the 26-year-old, described by one WAFL official as âhard as they comeâ.
The WAFL has been a gold mine for mature-age gems recently, with clubs unearthing readymade star Tim Kelly (Geelong), high-flying Liam Ryan (West Coast) and determined mid Bailey Banfield (Fremantle) last year alone.
Tenacious small forward Zac Langdon (Greater Western Sydney) and hard-working Matt Guelfi (Essendon) have also grabbed their opportunities with both hands.
While the 2018 crop might not be quite as strong, there still should be more than enough nuggets to catch recruitersâ eyes.
Pickett has shone this season after switching from playing as a rebounding half-back into midfield to cover the absence of last yearâs Sandover Medal runner-up Kelly.
His teammate, exciting forward Matthew Parker, looms as another standout NAB AFL Draft chance, while ex-Dockers big man Zac Clarke might earn another shot with West Coast, in particular, needing to bolster its ruck stocks.
Zac Clarke (Subiaco)
His 101-game AFL career appeared over when he was overlooked by rival clubs after being cut by Fremantle last year, but the door could have swung ajar again for the 28-year-old after Nic Naitanuiâs second ACL rupture. West Coastâs ruck stocks are thin, and there is no guarantee free agent Scott Lycett will re-sign. Clarke appears to have overcome his knee worries and has averaged nearly 15 disposals, 37 hit-outs and better than a goal a game for the undefeated Lions.
Oliver Eastland (Claremont)
The Tigers big man has been invited to the State Combine in October and, although the 20-year-old only stands 196cm, the changing landscape for ruckmen at the elite level and lack of ruck depth around the country could mean heâs a chance to be drafted. Has averaged 28 hit-outs, 16 disposals and five marks this year.
Cody Leggett (Perth)
The 22-year-old has been a major driver of the Demonsâ rise this season, with the club on the verge of ending a 20-year finals drought. Leggett had 15 minutes of fame earlier this year after roosting a 92m goal from behind the centre circle. The 22-year-old missed most of last season due to injury but racks up possessions (24.9 per game) as a strong, inside midfielder.
Matthew Parker (South Fremantle)
The exciting 22-year-old forward has plenty of raw ability and would improve rapidly in an elite AFL system. Parker has slotted 24 majors in 15 games for the Bulldogs and has athletic traits that will no doubt turn recruitersâ heads. He is a good size at 187cm, blessed with rapid speed, loves to lay a tackle (averaging four per match) and isnât shy jumping for a speccy either.
Marlion Pickett (South Fremantle)
A breakout performance in round six against Swan Districts showed why Pickett has recruiters excited. The tough nut asked for a switch into midfield from half-back this season to make the most of his pace and skills, and soon delivered a 30-possession â 21 of them contested â nine-clearance, seven-tackle, five-inside-50 and one-goal performance.
Haiden Schloithe (South Fremantle)
His AFL dream might have passed the former Fremantle rookie and last yearâs Sandover medallist by but the incredible season of former teammate Tim Kelly at Geelong could yet keep the 25-year-oldâs hopes alive. Is averaging 23.6 touches and 1.4 goals per game, and although he hasnât been invited to the state draft combine, recruiters know what the midfield bull can do.
Schloithe beat Tim Kelly in last yearâs Sandover Medal race. Picture: AFL Photos
Tobe Watson (Swan Districts)
The versatile 20-year-old has attracted plenty of interest from AFL clubs, despite only making 20 League appearances for Swans so far. Standing at 188cm, Watson is strong overhead â averaging better than five marks per game â and takes the footy at the highest point, reminding one observer of a young Jack Gunston. Has spent plenty of time in defence as a third tall capable of floating across packs and has good pace and foot skills.
Should we consider Parker as a late pick? Sounds like he has a number of traits that would suit, and heâd be getting the weakest defender if he got onto the park for us.
Speedy, tackles, gets goals and a good size.
I really like the sound of him, seems like the complete small/medium forward perfectly suited for modern AFL.
His height and aerial ability would give him a point of difference in our forward group as well.
I donât really want to put a dampener on it, but I donât think hindâs suited to afl footy. his disposal lets him down far too much.