RECRUITERS recall leaving the Gold Coast two years ago for the NAB AFL Under-16 Championships in awe of some of the things Sam Petrevski-Seton had shown.
The West Australian prospect was clearly the best player across the week of games, dominating for his state and being named the carnival's standout prospect.
Petrevski-Seton, obviously, has been on the radar for some time as a likely early choice. He played for the West Australian under-18 side last year as a bottom-ager and won All Australian honours and also represented Claremont's senior side at WAFL level.
This year had its challenges for Petrevski-Seton, as he battled a hamstring injury through the middle of the year that ruled him out of half the under-18 championships. But he finished his campaign strongly in the NAB All Stars game with 23 disposals, six clearances and eight tackles in one of the better performances of his season.
Petrevski-Seton is elusive: he can duck in and out of trouble through the midfield and keep making the play. His first game for WA at the championships was solid, but his second – against Vic Metro at Simonds Stadium – was excellent in a polished performance that highlighted his ability to take the game forward. He isn't a player to look sideways when in possession – he likes to get it going goal-bound as soon as possible.
The 18-year-old is unselfish and brings others into games with his sharp foot skills and quick mind, and he averaged 24 disposals in 12 games at colts level. His form towards the end of the season was best, and he captained Claremont's under-18 side to its premiership win, highlighting an improved leadership presence from him.
The indigenous prospect has played mostly as a midfielder this year and that's where he does his best work, although he is capable closer to goal and was one of the NAB AFL Academy's best players against Werribee's VFL side earlier this year. His tackling is also elite: he sticks his tackles and enjoys bringing a player down.
Clubs have quizzed Petrevski-Seton about his inconsistency this season, and inability to string together really good displays. They also would have liked to see him play more in the senior Claremont side this year (a wish of his, too), where he would have been up against better quality opposition.
For a nice kick, Petrevski-Seton can sometimes use his non-preferred left foot too much which brings down his kicking efficiency (in his two championships games this year he ranked lowly for his overall kick rating).
With his tackling pressure, creativity in the front half and capacity to make something from nothing, Petrevski-Seton has drawn comparisons to Hawthorn great Cyril Rioli. It is a high bar to set but Petrevski-Seton does share some of his qualities.
Despite an up-and-down season, Petrevski-Seton is still likely to be drafted in the top-10 when names are called on Friday. Fremantle, at pick No.7, has been strongly linked to him all season, with Gold Coast and Carlton also a strong chance to take him with early selections.
Petrevski-Seton is quality. Although his season may not have been as impactful as others, he remains a high-end talent who can shape games like few around him. He has been ready to step things up for some time now, and the challenge of an AFL career sits well with him.
