ADELAIDE father-son hopeful Tyler Welsh was the standout junior to turn out at state league level over the weekend, after booting five goals in the Crows’ thumping SANFL Showdown win. Find out how he, and a raft of other AFL Draft prospects fared up the grades.

SANFL

Welsh posted a season-best return of five majors as his Crows comprehensively beat rival, Port Adelaide by 77 points at Adelaide Oval. The hulking 18-year-old split the big sticks four times in the second half and took six marks from 12 disposals in a performance laden with his patented power.

Tyler is the son of 129-game Crows forward Scott, who was also a premiership player at North Melbourne (1999) and ended his career with Western Bulldogs. Welsh junior came into the season as a top 30 hopeful but is now arguably regarded as a late-draft candidate.

He now has nine SANFL League games under his belt this season, and dominated with 17 disposals, 10 marks and eight goals in his lone Under 18s appearance – for Woodville-West Torrens. The 191cm forward was also South Australia’s leading goalkicker at the National Championships.

While top-ager Welsh continued his long senior stint, the state’s premier bottom-ager made his debut as Central District blooded midfielder Dyson Sharp in a crucial one-point win over Glenelg. Having played two Reserves games, he acquitted himself well with 14 touches, 10 tackles and six clearances.

Meanwhile, state Under 18 captain Sid Draper returned to action in South Adelaide’s 57-point defeat to the Eagles. His side was blown away after half time, but the midfielder picked up where he left off to post a solid 23 disposals, five tackles and six clearances.

Phoenix Hargrave (19 disposals, five inside 50s, one goal) also turned out for the Panthers. Port Adelaide NGA member Benny Barrett was a standout at Reserves level with 29 touches and 14 clearances, playing alongside fellow juniors Dakota Sterzl (eight tackles) and Jacob Sheean (eight rebound 50s).

With only one round left to play in the senior SANFL grades, the seasons of many prospects may end next week. Some have the eligibility to play in lower grades, depending on respective players’ workloads and whether their clubs have made finals.

VFL

Bendigo Pioneers swingman Jobe Shanahan matched Welsh’s effort of five goals in his third and likely final VFL outing with Essendon. The 194cm talent saved his best haul for last in the famous sash, taking his tally to 11 majors across the three games as the Bombers accounted for Coburg.

Shanahan also had nine disposals and four marks in the win to finish with averages of 9.7 and 5.0 in the respective categories. He will now return to Bendigo’s program ahead of the final Coates Talent League round and Wildcard draw. His side dearly missed him last week and is on a 10-game losing skid.

Turning out alongside Shanahan over the weekend was a pair of club-tied debutants in Jayden Nguyen (16 disposals, five marks, four rebound 50s) and Noah Caracella (11 disposals). The former is an NGA member, while the latter is father-son eligible and was coached by his dad, Blake for the match.

Jobe Shanahan. FIVE GOALS.

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— Essendon VFL (@essendonvfl) August 18, 2024

Arguably the league’s most highly touted debutant this week was Larke Medallist, Harvey Langford. The Dandenong Stingrays co-captain, who grew up a Richmond supporter, became the latest top 10 prospect to audition via the Tigers’ prolific VFL program in a nine-point win over Carlton.

Langford, a 190cm midfielder-forward, rotated straight into midfield off the bench and spent the first half running on-ball before shifting into attack after the main break. He produced some moments of class and set up play with his penetrative left foot, posting 12 disposals and seven inside 50s.

In the same game, Bendigo Pioneers utility Tobie Travaglia played his second game for Carlton. Posted in defence, the speedy 187cm rebounder racked up 22 touches, four marks and three rebound 50s. His overhead marking and overlap running were the standout traits on show.

>> Player Focus: Harvey Langford (Richmond VFL)

Another highly regarded prospect to make his maiden state league appearance was Eastern Ranges’ Christian Moraes. The hard-running top-ager managed 10 disposals (eight handballs) playing forward in a Box Hill side which went down by 11 points to minor premier, Werribee.

Over in Williamstown, Western Jets pair Lucas Impey and Lucca Grego featured in the Seagulls’ win over GWS. The former, an over-age ruck, notched five tackles and 12 hitouts on debut. Meanwhile, the latter had 10 touches and booted his first goal in game two at the level.

The Giants had a trio of current academy members turn out. Namely they were key position utility Cooper Bell (nine disposals, four hitouts), academy captain Josaia Delana (eight disposals, four marks), and top-ager Riley Hamilton (seven disposals, three behinds).

Both AFL-aligned Queensland sides also got use out of their academy products. Brisbane narrowly went down to Collingwood but gave opportunities to over-age talls Bradley McDonald (five rebound 50s) and Billy Richardson (three marks), along with Wyatt Greenaway (16 disposals, nine marks).

Oakleigh’s strong alliance with the Magpies continued as Isaiah Markovsky became the latest Charger to debut in black and white. The small forward booted two goals as he joined fellow over-ager Boston Dowling in the side. Dowling won a handful of hitouts in what was his second appearance.

Gold Coast laid claim to a quartet of academy guns in its 88-point thumping of Casey. Standout Sun Leo Lombard had 14 touches along with bottom-ager Jai Murray, while small defender Nelson Beikoff-Smart had 12 disposals and six marks, and Koby Coulson notched his maiden VFL goal.

Others Coates Talent League players to grace the VFL included Geelong Falcons ruck Joe Pike (19 hitouts), whose Cats beat Sandringham by 13 points. Lachlan Voss debuted in the same game for the Zebras, while Sydney father-son hopeful Isaac Barry took the field once again for Northern Bullants.

WAFL

>> via Scouting Notes: WAFL Colts Round 20

Up the grades, West Perth ruck-forward Kayle Gerreyn made his League debut in a 16-point win over Subiaco on the Falcons’ home patch. The 199cm prospect, who had been dominating at Colts level, posted six disposals, three tackles and eight hitouts for the eight-placed outfit.

In the same game, Subiaco forward Malakai Champion managed seven touches but was kept goalless for the first time in four senior appearances. Claremont’s Hamish Davis (12 disposals) was another state representative to turn out in the top flight, as his Tigers thumped West Coast in dire conditions.

Peel Thunder also had a pair of Colts continue their senior runs. State skipper Bo Allan (10 disposals, three marks) and WA draft combine invitee Joel Brown (six disposals, two marks) featured in the Thunder’s 31-point victory over Swan Districts, which took them one step closer to the minor premiership.

QAFL

While many of Queensland’s top talents have turned out at VFL level this year, others are making their way through the QAFL. Among those to star in the season’s final home-and-away weekend were Lions Academy pair Ty Gallop and Daniel Annable.

Gallop, who has been in serious goalkicking form, booted eight majors from 20 disposals and nine marks in Maroochydore’s 24-point win over Morningside. Meanwhile, bottom-ager Annable racked up 28 touches as Redland-Victoria Point downed Labrador by 17 points.

The former was joined by Harrison Ronchi (18 disposals) at the level, while the latter had livewire forward Raphael Geesu (12 disposals) by his side. Lions Academy teammate and 2024 Allies representative Fergus McFadyen also featured with eight marks in Wilston Grange’s 140-point win over Noosa.

There was solid Suns Academy representation in the QAFL too. Bottom-age star Beau Addinsall had 24 disposals and six clearances as Broadbeach beat Mt Gravatt by 17 points. Meanwhile, Zai Millane (15 disposals) and Caleb Nancarrow (11 hitouts) were afield for Surfers Paradise’s win over Sherwood.

Classy Lions Academy rebound defender Harrison Bridge turned out in the losing Magpies side, notching 16 disposals and six marks at 94 per cent efficiency. The competition moves into a pair of elimination finals this week, while top two sides Aspley and Morningside move straight through to week two.