Determination pays off for Ballard
EVERY draftee has taken their own unique pathway to the big time. Some, like last year’s number one pick Cam Rayner, are touted as high-end selections years in advance. Others, like Giants recruit Aiden Bonar, re-emerge after stints on the sidelines with injury. And some, due to a wide variety of reasons, drop out of […]
All-Time Best 22: Bendigo Pioneers
IN a new feature series throughout the year, AFL Draft Central’s Brandon Hutchinson will look at a possible best 22 from each TAC Cup club. Starting with the Bendigo Pioneers and working through each of the 12 clubs, the series is likely to cause plenty of debate as to who should or should not make […]
Toohey enjoys fresh Eastern challenge
ON a scorching afternoon in Beaconsfield, new talent manager Sean Toohey — a former homicide squad detective and Sergeant with Victoria Police — witnessed his first game as part of the Eastern Ranges TAC Cup program; a win for the girls’ squad in the first round of the season against the Greater Western Victoria Rebels. The vibe around the ground, […]
Confidence the key to girls’ success
“IF we coach young female footballers the way we coach boys then we will lose them to the game.” This is how Nathan Burke, high performance coach, and writer from SEN’s Inside Football magazine, portrays coaching girls. Scott Armour, new coach of the Gippsland Power TAC Cup Girls team, agrees wholeheartedly with Nathan Burke’s sentiments. […]
Progression leads to performance
FOR eight years Natalie Grindal has seen the transformation of girls footy, going from a 30-player state academy team that would train together; to now a clear pathway for girls to play footy at the highest level at AFLW. Grindal highlighted the importance of the AFLW, and how it has given young girls something to […]
Biology not the only factor in early season ACLs
WHEN Western Bulldogs young gun Isabel Huntington fell to the ground clutching her knee in pain, the AFLW community held its collective breath. The 18 year-old was just two games into her AFLW career, fighting back from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury which kept her out of her top-age draft year. Within 24 hours, […]
Young pups shine on big stage
When Alicia Eva departed Collingwood in the AFLW Trade Period, the Pies leapfrogged the Bulldogs, to hold the number one draft pick. That all changed when former Bulldog, Jaimee Lambert requested a trade to Collingwood. The Bulldogs originally had three first-round picks in the 2017 AFLW National Draft, but had to give Collingwood picks three and […]
Swapping the wicket keeping gloves for an AFL dream
CRICKET in the summer, footy in the winter. It’s pretty simple isn’t it? For talented 17-year-old Nathan Murphy, it was a realistic experience with one having to give way in his final year of schooling. This time last year, Murphy was gearing up for the wicket-keeping job in the Vic Metro Under 19 team at […]
Matt Balmer’s 2017 Final AFL Draft Power Rankings Part 1
EVERY month since May, Matt Balmer has ranked his players from the 2017 AFL Draft pool. With less than three weeks until the November 24 National AFL Draft, he counts down the players ranked 50-1 over the next two weeks. Today will be 50-26, before next Monday’s final rankings from 25-1. Having seen just under […]
Matt Balmer’s 2017 AFL Draft October Power Rankings
IN an AFL Draft Central feature, AFL Draft analyst Matt Balmer will rank and update his Power Rankings every month throughout 2017. You can read Matt Balmer‘s September edition of his Power Rankings here: The season is just about over for the 2017 NAB AFL Draft prospects after a long year, with some players pushing themselves through just […]
