AFL Draft Board: South Australia emerge as dominant force in under 18s National Championships
In the lead-up to November's draft, we will hand-pick players from around the country who are impressing each month.
The June edition is predictably dominated by South Australians, with the Croweaters sitting atop the under 18 national championship standings by some margin — albeit having played one more game than anyone else.
They've won all three of their clashes, including a 61-point win over Vic Metro and 76-point win over Western Australia.
And with only one player tied to an AFL club (Louis Kellaway, son of Richmond 180-gamer Duncan) in what is expected to be the most compromised draft ever, clubs are watching SA very closely.
SA skipper Dyson Sharp has reminded everyone of his top-10 credentials as an inside midfielder, and would be leading all comers for the Larke Medal at this point.
Plus, do SA now have the best key forward in the draft pool? Aidan Schubert is surging up draft boards around the country as we speak.
He's leading a star-studded forward line that has included eye-catching performances from Mitch Marsh, Cameron Nairn and Zane Peucker.
Scroll down to read the June edition of The Draft Board.
This list is not exhaustive, and is ranked in no particular order.
On last month's Draft Board: Koby Coulson (Gold Coast Suns Academy), Jai Murray (Gold Coast Suns Academy), Max Hudson (Gold Coast Suns Academy), Sam Grlj (Oakleigh Chargers), Xavier Bambert (Sandringham Dragons), Josh Lindsay (Geelong Falcons), Ryda Luke (South Fremantle/Fremantle Next Generation Academy), Tairon Ah-Mu (Dandenong Stingrays), Cody Walker (Bendigo Pioneers), Koby Bewick (Calder Cannons), Tallis McMillan (GWS Giants Academy), Harry Van Hattum (Northern Knights), Sam Swadling (West Perth), Ryan Commandeur (Northern Knights).
Mitch Marsh
West Adelaide/South Australia
Medium forward
191cm
DOB: 15/02/2007
What a game he played to kick off the under 18s championships. The man who shares a name with the Australian cricket T20 captain had everyone talking with his 4.2 and seven marks up forward for South Australia against the Allies. Not a big ball-winner but he presents well at the footy, has a great pair of hands and consistently hits the scoreboard. Kicked 15 goals from seven games for the Bloods in the SANFL under 18s.
Jack Cook
Woodville-West Torrens/South Australia
Midfielder
181cm
DOB: 02/07/2007
Cook's left foot is a thing of beauty. He's played all three of SA's games in the champs and while his numbers aren't massive (averaging 16.3 disposals), his impact is. Can win it on the inside at centre bounce and spread from stoppages on the outside. One of the best kicks in the draft pool, along with Josh Lindsay, Tom McGuane and co.
Dyson Sharp
Central District /South Australia
Midfielder
187cm
DOB: 23/05/2007
After a somewhat flat start to the season for his lofty standards, Sharp has well and truly re-established himself as one of the headline name of the 2025 draft. Would be hard to argue that he hasn't been the best player in the best team of the national champs so far. Tallies of 20, 32 and 33 disposals, plus four goals, across his first three games for SA would have him as the clear favourite for the Larke Medal as the best player in the national championships. Sharp sits at the very pointy end of inside midfielders in the draft.
Aidan Schubert
South Australia's best key forward is becoming one of the country's best, if he wasn't already, and is one of the youngest players int the pool with a December birthday, so has plenty of development left in him. The lanky goalkicker is capable of taking big clunks in the forward 50 and further up the field where he regularly roams. With eight goals from three games in the carnival to date, Schubert has been SA's most dangerous forward — barring of course when Cameron Nairn went nuts against Western Australia.
Cameron Nairn
Seven goals from 10 touches against WA was the most noteworthy performance of the championships so far. Everything he touched just seemed to turn to gold. He started on fire with three goals in the first quarter and just couldn't be stopped. One goal in each of his other two games for SA.
Matt LeRay
Central District/South Australia
Wing
189cm
DOB: 22/02/2007
It's tempting to group LeRay and Harley Barker together in one, A) because they play on either wing for SA, B) because they have been just as good as each other this year and in recent weeks, and C) because they look so similar! You'd be mistaken for thinking you're seeing double on both sides of the centre square from a distance with their curly locks. LeRay is classy, a great size for a winger, and so consistent. You'll rarely see him make a bad decision or play a bad game.
Harley Barker
Sturt/South Australia
Wing
187cm
DOB: 02/05/2007
Slightly shorter than his South Australia and AFL Academy wing partner but more well built. Barker is similar to LeRay in so many ways, but there are some differences. Barker uses his burst of speed a bit more than LeRay, but probably isn't as much of a threat in the air. He'll hurt you in other ways though; the Sturt star always seems to get himself into good spots and can regularly hit the scoreboard.
Sam Cumming
North Adelaide/South Australia
Midfielder
186cm
DOB: 27/07/2007
SA's vice-captain and last year's SANFL under 18s MVP has been building nicely throughout the champs. He's such a smooth mover, he's evasive, has a great turn of speed, can kick on both feet, and always looks active. His best game of the carnival was in the Croweaters' 61-point win over Vic Metro in Round 2, when he had 21 disposals and two goals.
Dan Annable
Brisbane Lions Academy/Allies
Midfielder
183cm
DOB: 05/04/2007
The Brisbane Lions Academy product surely can't slip past the first two or three picks on draft night. I don't think I've seen him play a game this year where he hasn't been the best player on the ground. Dominated yet again in the Allies' championships opener against SA, getting his side to within seven points of the title favourites — which is around 10 goals closer than any other state so far. We're going to run out of adjectives to describe this bloke for the rest of this year and his upcoming career at the Lions.
Taj Murray
Northern Territory/North Adelaide/Allies
Ruck/forward
199cm
DOB: 05/02/2007
A few more performances like the one he produced against SA in Round 1 of the championships and he will rocket into first-round contention. To be clear, Murray hasn't come from nowhere — he is a member of the AFL Academy. But his performances against SA was one out of the box. Murray kicked goals that players of his size have no right to kick, including a dribble from the boundary line and a snap around the corner that some of the draft pool's most nimble and diminutive forwards would be happy with.
Fred Rodriguez
South Fremantle/Western Australia
Midfielder
184cm
DOB: 10/07/2007
The WA captain has been his state's best player of the carnival so far, in a team that has lacked real standouts. Jacob Farrow and Toby Whan have shown something but Rodriguez has been their best across the first two games — which is a surprise to precisely no one. His goal against Vic Country bursting away from the centre square stoppage — one of two for the game — was a touch of brilliance, and showed what he is capable of.
Harry Dean
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
Key defender
193cm
DOB: 13/11/2007
The son of dual Carlton premiership star Peter Dean is building nicely this seaon. Vic Country would have gone down by more against WA if not for his intercepting, along with Lindsay, at half back that day.
Josh Lindsay
Geelong Falcons/Vic Country
Defender
183cm
DOB: 07/04/2007
One of five players in this list to feature on his second 7NEWS.com.au Draft Board. Lindsay had a blinding first half against WA for Country and finished with 28 disposals, including 24 kicks. And why wouldn't you want him kicking it as much as possible? No one in his draft class uses the ball better than Lindsay.
Other notable mentions
Gold Coast Academy product Koby Coulson is rising up draft boards around the country but will probably be snapped up by the Suns, despite them having a host of other top prospects under their nose as well. Gippsland Power utility Willem Duursma and Calder Cannons ruck Cooper Duff-Tytler are always worth mentioning, and could be the quinella come draft night. Woodville-West Torrens goalsneak Zane Peucker has looked very likely in a star-studded forward line for South Australia, and Dandenong Stingrays Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves remains among the country's top prospects with recent performances.
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