36 Victorian players were selected in last week’s NAB AFL Draft, with 33 players recruited from the TAC Cup competition and three from the Peter Jackson VFL.
Victorian community football and the talented player pathway produced 55% of new draftees while South Australia produced 21%, Western Australia 18%, Tasmania 5% and Queensland 1%.
AFL Victoria General Manager Grant Williams believes the results reflect the strong talent development pathways in Victoria.
“The NAB AFL Draft continues to highlight the variety of pathways in which talented players are being developed in Victoria, starting at a local community club level and working their way up through the talented player pathway either via the TAC Cup or VFL competitions.”
Victoria produced eight out of the first 10 draft selections, with Dandenong Stingrays Lachie Whitfield becoming the eleventh number one pick from the TAC Cup competition in its 21-year history.
“The TAC Cup competition continues to be the premier drafting ground for AFL footballers, with over 1,000 players having now been drafted over the 21 years of the competition’s existence,” Mr Williams said.
“Congratulations should go to each of AFL Victoria’s talent managers who manage quality programs in each of Victoria’s 12 regions that field teams in the TAC Cup competition. Also, congratulations and well done to the local community clubs that helped start the football journey for these 33 players who will next year take the leap into the ranks of the AFL.”
The Peter Jackson VFL was seen again as a breeding ground for readymade AFL players, with all three drafted players – North Ballarat’s Dean Towers, Frankston’s Dylan Van Unen and Box Hill Hawks’ Matt Jones – aged in their early to mid 20s.“
This year’s three VFL draftees again prove that the draft window does not close if a player is not drafted after their 18th year. If a player’s time in the TAC Cup competition comes to an end, graduating to the VFL competition is another potential avenue for players that still dream of becoming an AFL footballer.”
One of the pleasing aspects of this year’s draft for AFL Victoria was to see the first player – Dean Towers – recruited from the AFL Victoria VFL Academy in its inaugural year.
“The AFL Victoria VFL Academy was established to enhance the talent pool existing in the Peter Jackson VFL competition by exposing players to elements of the AFL Victoria Academy structure, philosophy and resources.
“The selection of Towers as a first-round draft pick by the AFL premiership team, Sydney, highlights that the Academy is a welcome addition to the VFL competition and will, in time, fulfill its role to help develop talent at a state league level.”
AFL Victoria draft facts:
• Over half of the first-round draft selections (13) were Victorian
• All of GWS Giants five draft selections were from the TAC Cup competition, with its list now containing close to 30 former TAC Cup players
• Dean Towers became the seventh Fothergill-Round Medallist (VFL award given to the most promising under-23 player in the competition) in a row to be drafted to the AFL, joining the likes of Ahmed Saad, Michael Hibberd, Michael Barlow, Robin Nahas, Shane Valenti and Jason Davenport.
• For the fourth year in a row Box Hill Hawks and Frankston have had at least one player drafted in the AFL Draft or Rookie Draft
• The last four players drafted from Frankston have all been recruited by Essendon (Marcus Marigliani 2009, Michael Hibberd 2010, Mark Baguley 2011)
• North Ballarat has had a player drafted in the AFL Draft for the third year in a row, with Isaac Smith in 2010, Orren Stephenson in 2011 and Towers 2012.
