Former Northcote Park defender Marty Hore and Banyule junior Justin McInerney were both selected in the 2018 AFL Draft.
Hore was taken by Melbourne with pick No.57, while McInerney will head north after being snapped up by Sydney at pick No. 44.
It has been somewhat of a different path to the big league for the duo.
Hore has been one of the VFL’s best defenders in recent seasons and took out Collingwood’s best and fairest in each of the past two years.
The 22-year-old is a ready-made selection for the Demons, with his intercept marking and penetrating left-foot kick key features of his game.
Unlucky not to have been selected in his 2015 draft season after featuring in the best players in nine of 15 TAC Cup matches for the Bendigo Pioneers, Hore linked up with the VFL Magpies in 2016 – where he played nine games in his first season.
He also played two senior matches for Northcote Park during the 2016 campaign, including the elimination final defeat to Bundoora.
Hore played the opening three games for the Cougars in 2017, before being recalled by the Magpies. He played only one more NFNL game, when best afield in the Round 10 win over Eltham at Bill Lawry Oval.
He changed his nominated home club to Echuca this year but spent the entire season with Collingwood – where he produced another stellar season to win his second-consecutive Joseph Wren Memorial Trophy as the Magpies’ best and fairest VFL player.
These highlights. 🔥
A taste of what our fourth selection, Marty Hore, will bring. 🎥👇#AFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Co8wssWTqm
— Melbourne FC (@melbournefc) November 23, 2018
Melbourne National Recruiting Manager Jason Taylor said Hore’s performance in recent years warranted being given a chance at AFL level.
“(He’s) really earned his opportunity at AFL level through the VFL,” Taylor said.
“We watched Marty in the TAC Cup when he played with Bendigo. We went out to his farm that year and interviewed him, so we’ve tracked him every year since.
“Like a lot of the guys who’ve made the transition successfully from the state leagues to AFL level, they’re able to progress each year. They improve their areas of deficiency each year and they start to present physically like an AFL player.
“We’ve watched Marty for a long time now and he’s gotten better each year with his footy. He’s presented really well like a person and player who wants to make the next level.
“It’s a real credit to Marty. He’s earned his opportunity and we know he’ll give it his best shot.”
McInerney proved one of the 2018 Draft bolters, with Sydney using its third selection to secure the 18-year-old.
The Banyule and former Macleod junior played 10 TAC Cup games for the Northern Knights this year and was named among the best players six times.
He also played one game for Banyule’s under-19 during the year when he featured in the Round 11 win over Mernda.
A speedy outside midfielder with slick skills by hand and foot.
Here’s a bit more about our pick 44 Justin McInerney.
📰https://t.co/QaZi7DGOyd pic.twitter.com/IcfJwUHv6s
— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) November 23, 2018
Sydney General Manager of Recruiting and List Strategy Kinnear Beatson said McInerney showed plenty of upside.
“(He) is a developing tall wingman. He’s just short of 190cm, a lovely kick of the footy, quiet good overhead,” Beatson said.
“He’ll take a little bit of time to fill out, but he will in time.”
A third player with a link to the NFNL was also selected, with Lachlan Schultz taken by Fremantle with pick No. 57.
Schultz has spent the past three years with Williamstown in the VFL and earlier this year listed Northcote Park as his nominated home club.
The 20-year-old didn’t feature in an NFNL game after producing a standout VFL campaign that included 24 goals in 20 games.
