GIPPSLAND Power livewire Thomas Matthews is set for a big year according to his Coates Talent League teammates. All 43 top-age members of the Vic Country, Vic Metro, and Allies summer squads were surveyed during Saturday’s preseason testing event, with Matthews’ name coming up the most.

>> SCROLL to see all the players to watch

After debuting in 2023, Matthews booted 18 goals in 13 appearances for Gippsland last year and finished the campaign with a full head of steam. Pick one contender Willem Duursma says he is “pretty big on” the 171cm small forward, while Jobe Scapin claims he has been “dominating everywhere” in preseason.

Another player to have earned more than two nominations from his peers was Sandringham Dragons midfielder Jack Hayter. A former Norwood junior in South Australia who has a knack for finding the ball, Hayter “wants to make a name for himself” according to Dragons teammate Kye Fincher.

The Calder Cannons crew were sure to throw their support behind teammates who had recently recovered from ACL tears. Tristan Leeds was one, while Essendon Next Generation Academy (NGA) member Adam Sweid, who injured his in 2023, was endorsed by Hussien El Achkar.

Carlton fans will be buoyed by the assessments of NGA candidate Mingara Clark, who Sam Allen says “can do some special things”. Another father-son is also in the offing, with key defender Harry Dean (son of Peter) tipped to rise in the draft rankings by Murray Bushrangers midfielder Ryder Corrigan.

Eastern Ranges backman Andrew Barker was another prospect to be put forward twice, labelled as “reliable” by co-captain Oliver Greeves. The competition’s other two-time nominee was hard-nosed Tasmanian midfielder Rylee McHenry, who played 15 games for the Devils last season.

Among some of the other standout selections, Geelong NGA member Ben Rongdit shouted out fellow National Academy member Josh Lindsay, who he lauded for his “elite” kicking. Meanwhile, Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels pair Harley Hicks and Archie Taylor nominated each other.

It was also no surprise to see Northern Knights’ sole Vic Metro hub member Tyson Gresham (brother of Jade) mention a trio of Parade College teammates in Sebastian Murphy, Mitchell Moate, and James Allison. Moate will be a particularly interesting watch in his return from a long-term knee injury.

Top-end prospects Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves and Louis Emmett were also recognised. The former was labelled a “hybrid that every team wants” by Melbourne NGA prospect Toby Sinnema, while the latter is “primed” to explode according to Oakleigh speedster Sam Grlj.

Hibbins-Hargreaves noted the training standards of Sinnema, which was a big tick Jack Ison gave for Chargers midfielder Allen, saying he puts in “a bucketload of work” in getting to training early and leaving later than anyone. Such work ethic has him primed to “zoom up the draft order”.

Another “breakout” contender in Murray’s Lenny Koller was given a vote of confidence from Harrison Wilson, while Sandringham premiership player Jack Dalton has noticed Ollie Griffin‘s work in match-sim, claiming he has “kicked about 10 goals” in the Dragons’ three sessions.

>> MORE: Coates Talent League prospects pick their player comparisons

ONES TO WATCH

BENDIGO PIONEERS:
Shaun Watson – Patrick Blake
Hunter Wright – Jaidi Jackson-Leahy, Riley Dillon

CALDER CANNONS:
Cooper Duff-Tytler – Tristan Leeds
Hussein El Achkar – Adam Sweid
Felix Kneipp – Tristan Leeds, Hamish Pearce

DANDENONG STINGRAYS:
Tairon Ah-Mu – Louis Hodder
Josh Granger – Max Lee
Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves – Toby Sinnema
Max Lee – Jay-De Varlet, Darcy Szerszyn
Toby Sinnema – Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves

EASTERN RANGES:
Andrew Barker – Oliver Greeves
Lachy Dovaston – Jamie Gilchrist
Oliver Greeves – Andrew Barker, Jordan Knapp
Xavier Taylor – Andrew Barker

GEELONG FALCONS:
Josh Lindsay – Hugo Mikunda
Hugo Mikunda – Hamish McGowan, Fred Lucas
Ben Rongdit – Josh Lindsay

GIPPSLAND POWER:
Willem Duursma – Tom Matthews, Brodie Atkins
Zach O’Keefe – Tom Matthews, Marlon Neocleous
Jobe Scapin – Tom Matthews, Jonah Walker
Mitchell Stevens – Zach O’Keefe, Cody Templeton

GWV REBELS:
Harley Hicks – Archie Taylor, Sinclair Burmeister
Archie Taylor – Harley Hicks

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS:
Ryder Corrigan – Harry Dean
Harry Dean – Liam Hetherton
Liam Hetherton – Toby Hunt
Riley Onley – Flynn Grumley, Ryder Corrigan
Harrison Wilson – Lenny Koller

NORTHERN KNIGHTS:
Tyson Gresham – Sebastian Murphy, Mitchell Moate, James Allison

OAKLEIGH CHARGERS:
Sam Allen – Mingara Clark
Louis Emmett – Jack Ison
Sam Grlj – Louis Emmett
Jack Ison – Sam Allen, Mingara Clark, Tom Phillips

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS:
Xavier Bamert – Jack Dalton, Sacha Levine, Jack Hayter
Jack Dalton – Jack Hayter, Ollie Griffin, George Dimer
Kye Fincher – Jack Hayter
Archie Ludowyke – Alfie Lambert, Kye Fincher, James Arnold
Miles Tyrer – Archie Edwards

TASMANIA DEVILS:
Jasper Hay – Jade Clark, Rylee McHenry
Lucas Wootton – Rylee McHenry

WESTERN JETS:
Thomas Burton – Rani Pavlidis, Oskar Ainsworth
Finn Davis – Jacob Marron, Kobe Williams
Thomas McGuane – Thomas Burton, Finn Davis