THE AFL today announced the sixth and final group of players that will attend the 2015 NAB AFL Draft Combine in October at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne.
The Small Forwards/Midfielders/Defenders group comprises of 12 players including no fewer than seven who won Under-18 All-Australian honours this year. They are Victorian Metro pair Jade Gresham and Nick O’Kearney, Queensland’s Ben Keays, Tasmania’s Kieran Lovell, South Australia pair Luke Partington and Will Snelling and Victoria Country’s Darcy Parish.
AFL National and International Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan said: “Increasingly AFL clubs are looking for smaller players who can play at either end of the ground in specialised roles or through the midfield in dynamic bursts. This year’s group of smaller players is as talented as we have ever produced and we look forward to some impressive results in testing at the Draft Combine.”
Eighty-two players will attend the 2015 NAB AFL Draft Combine in Melbourne at Etihad Stadium from Thursday October 8 to Sunday October 11.
State Combines will be held in Melbourne (October 11), Perth (October 18), Adelaide (October 19) and Sydney (October 26).
2015 NAB AFL Draft Combine – National
Small Defenders, Midfielders & Forwards
Northern Territory
Davin Ferriera Wanderers/Norwood
15/09/1996 Height: 174cm Weight: 68kg
Small forward/midfielder who takes the game on using his pace and agility. Strong overhead for his size he attends Rostrevor College in Adelaide after moving from Wanderers in the NTFL. Represented NT in NAB AFL Under-18 Championships this year and impressed in senior debut for Norwood in SANFL gathering 18 disposals and kicking three goals against Sturt.
Daniel Rioli St Marys/North Ballarat Rebels
16/04/1997 Height: 179cm Weight: 65kg
Small forward or defender who is extremely dangerous around goals and very capable overhead for his size. Cousin of Cyril and really impressed in round three of the championships against Tasmania. Averaged 12.3 possessions (10.3 contested) and 4.7 tackles at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. Impressed with his four goals against the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup finals earlier this month.
Queensland
Ben Keays Morningside/Lions Academy
23/02/1997 Height: 185cm Weight: 78kg
Medium midfielder/forward who is a ball magnet with terrific work rate and uses the ball with great efficiency on his preferred left foot. Can push forward where he regularly impacts the scoreboard. Now a dual Under-18 All-Australian and won the Queensland MVP and the Harrison Medal – Division Two Best and Fairest. Member of NAB AFL Academy and Lions Academy. Averaged 28.7 disposals (11 contested) in three matches at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.
Corey Wagner Sandgate/Aspley
23/03/1997 Height: 180cm Weight: 71kg
Medium midfielder with excellent speed and endurance and a good user of the ball. Smart player who is composed with the football in his hands. Impressive for Queensland in the TAC Cup matches this year with his 31 disposals against the Dandenong Stingrays outstanding. Averaged 18.7 possessions (78.6 percent efficiency) and four clearances at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. Member of Brisbane Lions Academy.
Tasmania
Kieran Lovell Kingston Tigers
16/05/1997 Height: 174cm Weight: 80kg
Prolific ball-winning small midfielder who can win his own ball at the stoppages and link up on the outside to provide run for his team. Has good speed and elite endurance as well as the ability to win the ball overhead in one-on-one contests. Won the Tasmanian MVP and All-Australian Under-18 honours. Averaged 35 possessions (14 contested) and 5.5 clearances during the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.
Victoria
Jade Gresham Northern Knights/South Morang
24/08/1997 Height: 177cm Weight: 74kg
Small midfielder/forward with elite speed and power. Excelled at stoppages and was able to push forward and kick some important gaols for his team. Indigenous player who was a member of the Flying Boomerangs in 2012. Won the Vic Metro MVP and TAC Cup coaches award this year. Averaged 23.2 possessions (76.7 percent efficiency), six marks and 5.2 clearances across five games at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships winning All-Australian honours.
Hisham Kerbatieh Calder Cannons/Hadfield
16/05/1997 Height: 177cm Weight: 77kg
Small forward/midfielder who is very smart around goals using his speed and long kicking to advantage. A good mark for his size, he represented Vic Metro in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships kicking nine goals in five matches. Had an excellent year for the Cannons averaging 20 disposals and kicking 22 goals in 14 matches.
Darcy Macpherson Northern Knights/Diamond Creek
29/10/1997 Height: 174cm Weight: 72kg
Small midfielder/forward who is a prolific ball winner averaging 21 disposals in eight matches with the Knights this year. Missed the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships due to injury. Eligible for Father/Son to Western Bulldogs where his father Steve played and progressed to play three VFL matches with the Bulldogs this year.
Nicholas O’Kearney Calder Cannons/Keilor
13/02/1997 Height: 182cm Weight: 71kg
Medium defender/midfielder that is efficient by hand and generally uses it well on either foot. Possesses strong hands overhead and reads the ball well in flight. A super competitive player who rarely fumbles and has the ability to find the footy both on the inside and outside. Makes very good decisions under pressure. Member of NAB AFL Academy . Averaged 21.8 disposals (73 percent efficiency) across five games across the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships winning All-Australian honours.
Darcy Parish Geelong Falcons/Winchelsea
27/07/1997 Height: 181cm Weight: 73kg
Medium midfielder/forward that reads the game exceptionally well. A quick and agile player with elite decision making ability. Prolific ball winner that hunts the ball and has the capacity to make something out of nothing. Uses the ball very effectively by hand and foot. A back-to-back Under-18 All-Australian and a member of the NAB AFL Academy. Averaged 21.8 disposals and four clearances during his four matches in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.
South Australia
Luke Partington Norwood/Tumby Bay
5/03/1997 Height: 181cm Weight: 72kg
Hard working medium midfielder with good speed and excellent endurance. Can find the ball around the stoppages, however his ability to spread quickly from the contest makes him equally as dangerous on the outside. Composed player who used the ball exceptionally well by hand and foot, he plays with great passion. Member of NAB AFL Academy. Averaged 24.3 possessions (eight contested) across six games at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships winning All-Australian honours.
Will Snelling West Adelaide/Goodwood
6/08/1997 Height: 176cm Weight: 75kg
Small midfielder who captained South Australia and is a prolific ball winner and strong tackler. Won South Australia’s MVP and All-Australian Under-18 honours Already impressed at senior level with West Adelaide this year playing 13 matches and averaging 19.8 disposals. Averaged 21.7 disposals, 7.2 tackles and four clearances across six matches at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.
