We take a look at some of the top prospects ahead of the National Draft at the Adelaide Convention Centre on November 24.
The following four youngsters are among those touted as potential first round selections.
Kieran Collins – Dandenong Stingrays/Langwarrin
Height: 191cm
Weight: 80kg
Collins is a tall defender who can display excellent strength and competitiveness in a contest when he is called upon. Not only can he shut down his opponent but he has outstanding possession by hand or foot making him a threat running out of defence. A strong overhead marking ability makes him an asset against any ball coming into the forward line in the air. He was another U18 All Australian for his strong Championships performance for Vic Country where he averaged 11.8 disposals (at 86 per cent efficiency) and five marks.
Kieran Collins in action during day one of the Draft Combine.
Callum Mills – NSW/ACT
Height: 188cm
Weight: 80kg
An outstanding medium midfield talent, Mills is a Sydney Swans Academy member who is eligible to join the Swans in the National Draft under the Academy bidding system. He suffered a number of injuries to his shin and foot throughout the season meaning he played very little football as he got his body right. Mills is a prolific ball winner, courageous in the contest and a very good ball user when he gets into space. He is strong overhead and does not shirk the issue when it comes to entering a contested situation.
Callum Mills is one of the leading Academy prospects in this year's Draft pool.
Rhys Mathieson – Geelong Falcons
Height: 186cm
Weight: 81kg
A tough and competitive medium midfielder, he plays a physical brand of football that ranks him among the top midfield prospects in this year’s draft pool. Mathieson has an excellent game sense and his football smarts are sublime as he reads the ball well in the air to be strong overhead. His hands are clean whether it be in a marking contest or in a contested situation with the ability to extract the ball better than most from a tight situation. He won back to back U18 All Australian honours for outstanding U18 Championship performances.
Rhys Mathieson was one of the stand out performers for Vic Country at the U18 Championships.
Clayton Oliver – Murray Bushrangers
Height: 187cm
Weight: 85kg
Clayton Oliver is one that has burst onto the scene throughout the TAC Cup season after a season in which he averaged 25 possessions per game for the Murray Bushrangers. One of the best young players around the stoppages he is great in a one-on-one situation and uses the ball efficiently, especially by hand. He took out the Morrish Medal as the TAC Cup’s best and fairest.
