ON THE opening day of the NAB AFL Draft Combine at Etihad Stadium, national and international talent manager Kevin Sheehan says Melbourne’s attendees from last year – Jimmy Toumpas, Jack Viney and Jesse Hogan – will all be integral to the club’s fortunes over the next decade.

Sheehan, one of the doyens of AFL talent identification, said the trio had plenty to offer the Demons long term.   

“Jimmy Toumpas was one who had some injuries to overcome. He’s going to be a terrific player down the track,” Sheehan told melbournefc.com.au.

“I see him as a leader and a prolific ball winner, whether it’s through midfield or across half back. He’s got a wonderful personality, and he’s going to be a wonderful teammate and is probably already in with the Melbourne faithful.

“He had those setbacks, but [I] just expect that he’ll get better and better as it goes on.”

Sheehan said Hogan starred with his shuttle run in 2012.

“Jesse Hogan blew them away here last year with his beep test,” he said.

“His endurance gives him a special quality to play at either end of the ground, where you see him star this year at Casey in the VFL, as a key forward, but he can play key defence as well, with a tank like that.

“That’s very elite for a boy at 196 cm.”

Sheehan said Viney’s determination was there for all to see.

“If I said ‘run through the glass door’ he’d do that – we just love his competitive edge in everything he does, whether it’s testing, training or in matches,” he said.

“He’s got leadership written all over him.

“He had a couple of injuries along the way [in 2013], but he shows fantastic potential for the future.”

This year’s 28^th Combine – it was previously called the Draft Camp – will conclude on Friday.

Originally starting at Waverley Park back in 1994, the Combine was held at the Australian Institute of Sport from 1999-2010, before shifting to Etihad Stadium in 2011.

Sheehan expects “70 or 80” to be drafted from the Combine onto AFL lists over the upcoming drafting period. More than 200 talent scouts from AFL clubs are observing the players.

“It’s exciting times - having 111 of the best young players around Australia and even a few internationals here makes it pretty special,” he said.