West Australian bolter blitzes draft combine

WEST Australian Zane Zakostelsky has dominated the 2023 AFL National Draft Combine, achieving top 10 results in four of the five events. A group of 61 prospects, all nominated by clubs, were put through their paces from Friday to Sunday in a range of physical tests.

>> SCROLL to see all the top 10 results

Zakostelsky is a raw 196cm defender/ruck renowned for his athleticism, and topped the charts in this year’s standing vertical jump with a leap of 80cm. He placed sixth in the 20m sprint (2.954 seconds), fifth in the agility test (8.233 seconds), and sixth again in the running vertical leap (94cm).

The Claremont product was one of three West Australians to come out on top of a testing event. West Coast Next Generation Academy candidate Lance Collard lit up the agility test with a time of 8.157 seconds, while Aiden O’Driscoll won the 20m sprint (2.871 seconds).

O’Driscoll is the brother of current Fremantle-listed players Emma and Nathan. Elsewhere, Tarkyn O’Leary took out Friday’s 2km time trial with the second-fastest ever time. He completed the journey in 5:48, only bested by Harry Sharp‘s effort of 5:28 in 2020.

Murray Bushrangers midfielder Darcy Wilson placed second over 2km (5:52), joined by 202cm Gold Coast ruck Ethan Read on a podium of sub-six minute runners. Wilson also notched the best running vertical jump at an eye-watering 98cm.

Along with the boy’s National Combine testing at Margret Court Arena on Sunday, state combine nominees from Victoria, Tasmania, NSW-ACT, and Queensland also completed their testing, along with AFLW Draft Combine participants from Victoria and Tasmania.

Top results from the state combines and girl’s events will become available once events in South Australia and Western Australia are completed over the weekend.

NATIONAL DRAFT COMBINE TOP 10s

2km TIME TRIAL

NameStateState League ClubCommunity ClubResult (min:sec)
Tarkyn O’LearyVIC MSandringham DragonsParkdale Vultures5:48
Darcy WilsonVIC CMurray BushrangersWangaratta Rovers5:52
Ethan ReadQLDGC Suns AcademyPalm Beach Currumbin5:56
Jordan CroftVIC MCalder CannonsMaribyrnong Park6:05
Caiden ClearyNSW/ACTSydney Swans AcademySydney University6:06
Aiden O’DriscollWAPerthNortham Saints6:06
Archie RobertsVIC MSandringham DragonsHampton Rovers6:08
Connor O’SullivanNSW/ACTMurray BushrangersAlbury6:11
Joel FreijahVIC CGWV RebelsHorsham Saints6:13
Harvey JohnstonVIC MSandringham DragonsParkdale Vultures6:17
Koltyn TholstrupWASubiacoNewtown Condingup6:17

20m SPRINT

NameStateState League ClubCommunity ClubResult (sec)
Aiden O’DriscollWAPerthNortham Saints2.871
Will GrahamQLDGC Suns AcademyPalm Beach Currumbin2.915
Caleb WindsorVIC MEastern RangesSouth Belgrave2.916
Lance CollardWASubiacoNorth Beach2.923
Kane McAuliffeSANorth AdelaideCentral Augusta2.930
Zane ZakostelskyWAClaremontNorth Beach2.954
Phoenix GothardNSW/ACTMurray BushrangersAlbury2.963
Taylor GoadSASouth AdelaideWillunga2.965
Eion McElholmIrelandN/AN/A2.993
Harry DeMattiaVIC CDandenong StingraysEdithvale-Aspendale2.996

AGILITY TEST

NameStateState League ClubCommunity ClubResult (sec)
Lance CollardWASubiacoNorth Beach8.157
Koltyn TholstrupWASubiacoNewtown Condingup8.194
Angus HastieVIC CGeelong FalconsGeelong West Giants8.204
Bodie RyanSAGlenelgBrighton8.208
Zane ZakostelskyWAClaremontNorth Beach8.233
Ashton MoirSAGlenelgPlympton8.244
Reece TorrentWAPeel ThunderHalls Head8.260
Darcy WilsonVIC CMurray BushrangersWangaratta Rovers8.263
Aiden O’DriscollWAPerthNortham Saints8.302
Nate CaddyVIC MNorthern KnightsYarrambat8.331

STANDING VERTICAL JUMP

NameStateState League ClubCommunity ClubResult (cm)
Zane ZakostelskyWAClaremontNorth Beach80
Phoenix GothardNSW/ACTMurray BushrangersAlbury78
Will GrahamQLDGC Suns AcademyPalm Beach Currumbin78
Mitchell EdwardsWAPeel ThunderSouth Mandurah78
Kane McAuliffeSANorth AdelaideCentral Augusta77
Darcy WilsonVIC CMurray BushrangersWangaratta Rovers76
Riley HardemanWASwan DistrictsCaversham75
Jack DeleanSASouth AdelaideReynella74
Taylor GoadSASouth AdelaideWillunga74
Aiden O’DriscollWAPerthNortham Saints73
Caleb WindsorVIC MEastern RangesSouth Belgrave73

RUNNING VERTICAL JUMP

NameStateState League ClubCommunity ClubResult (cm)
Darcy WilsonVIC CMurray BushrangersWangaratta Rovers98
Zane DuursmaVIC CGippsland PowerFoster97
Will GrahamQLDGC Suns AcademyPalm Beach Currumbin95
Kane McAuliffeSANorth AdelaideCentral Augusta95
Mitchell EdwardsWAPeel ThunderSouth Mandurah94
Zane ZakostelskyWAClaremontNorth Beach94
Aiden O’DriscollWAPerthNortham Saints92
Caleb WindsorVIC MEastern RangesSouth Belgrave92
Riley HardemanWASwan DistrictsCaversham91
Cooper SimpsonVIC CDandenong StingraysMt Martha90

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