POSITION: Key Position Utility

SNAPSHOT: "A competitive and coachable key position prospect, Visentini enjoys getting involved physically and is capable of playing on all three lines."

While the 2021 draft crop has long been lauded for its wealth of midfield talent, Dante Visentini is a tall prospect looking to throw his name in the hat. The Sandringham Dragons product backed up his Under 16 Vic Metro representation with Under 19 honours in 2021, proving a versatile fixture in both squads with his ability to play in each key position post. Having completed his Year 12 studies at Xavier College last year, Visentini was also an important part of the Dragons' tall depth in 2021 as they lost a couple of guns to the mid-season draft. His aggression and physicality make for desirable traits a lot of tall players learn over time, and should hold him in good stead along with his willingness to learn and take on information as he goes.

STRENGTHS:

+ Versatility
+ Aggression
+ Physicality
+ Coachability

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Athleticism
- Production

A player who began to string together some more consistent form towards the end of Victoria's shortened season, Visentini will hope he has done enough to impress. He set out in preseason expecting to play at either end of the ground while also pinch-hitting in the ruck, and ended up spending plenty of time on-ball as the season wore on. At 201cm, he is able to compete aerially and as part of Sandringham's famed 'big boys club', has harnessed an appetite for physical contact - even when the ball hits the deck.

The 18-year-old somewhat lacks in the area of production, but likes to get involved by using his body and hitting the opposition with force. His competitive spirit is showcased best on-field when he can throw his weight around and he follows up to tackle well for a tall talent. That kind of aggression and physical nature bodes well for his increased time in the ruck, as Visentini can extend his influence further than the initial ruck contest.

Having been described as a diligent learner and student of the game, Visentini has been able to adapt well to different roles. He is not always the primary key position option and often has his magnet shuffled from week to week, but brings his competitiveness and improves each time. In preseason, he outlined aerial contests and staying strong in them as a couple of growth areas. With better timing and understanding of contested marking craft, he can certainly lift his overall output.

Holding those contested marks, hitting the scoreboard more often, and building a greater athletic base will be a few more improvement areas for Visentini. He'll look to bulk up even further to ensure his strength translates to the next level, but is never really the quickest or most agile player out there. Compared to a lot of the new-age key forwards and defenders, that is where Visentini is arguably a little different, but has plenty of time to develop.

DRAFT PROJECTION: Late/Rookie

SUMMARY:

Competitive key position players who relish the physical side of the game are sometimes hard to come by in the junior system, but Visentini is one with those traits built-in. He can still enhance his athletic profile and increase his production in each game, but showed steady improvement throughout 2021 and has the added value of being able to play multiple positions. Still, he is most likely to feature late in the draft or as a rookie should clubs be interested in the 18-year-old.