Smith taking things “week by week”
POWERFUL prospect Bella Smith has proven herself as one of Queensland’s top draft chances in 2021, but is taking a steady mindset into next week’s big day. The Maroochydore midfielder has been aligned with the Brisbane Lions Academy and there are plenty of former ‘Roos to look towards for inspiration in the same pathway. “At […]
Pauga overcomes injuries and adapts to change ahead of AFLW Draft
AFL Women’s Academy member Mikayla Pauga admits she is in a unique situation. The 18-year-old moved to Bond University for the start of the year to continue her studies, and therefore resides on the heart of the Gold Coast. Despite being around plenty of Gold Coast Suns, Pauga is a Brisbane Lions Academy member and […]
Draft Central Power Rankings: July 2021
THE Draft Central July Power Rankings have been locked in after an interrupted, but nonetheless productive month of football around the nation. Two fresh faces feature among the top five as a new number one contender arises, while another two previously unranked players have thrust their way into the overall list of 25 on the […]
McLeay thrives on championship “learning experience”
HAVING started out looking to take up a sport “different to everybody else” at eight years old, Isadora McLeay is now well versed in Australian football nearly a decade later. The Sydney Swans Academy member had hit 100 games for local club Mosman Swans by the age of 12, but is still adding strings to […]
Queensland Academy Watch | Lions learn, Suns caught in COVID chaos
DESPITE losing in Thursday night footy in the seniors to the Brisbane Lions, Geelong’s reserves have given their club some consolation with a cracking 118-point away win on Friday. As was to be expected in a contest between mostly AFL listed players, the early going was willing and scores remained close into the second quarter, […]
Scouting Notes: 2021 NAB League Boys – Round 9
METRO regions returned to the NAB League in Round 9 as full-time competition resuming, with seven games played on a bumper weekend of action. It meant plenty of Victorian, Tasmanian, and Giants Academy prospects were able to show their wares ahead of the Under 17 and 19 National Championships, with a good amount of budding […]
2021 Draft Central NAB League Boys TOTW: Round 9
THE 2021 NAB League season rolled on into Round 9 over the weekend, with metro regions returning to the fold. A few school football fixtures were rescheduled too, meaning the wealth of talent filtering back through the competition was at a high. This week’s squad is headlined by Player of the Week candidates Ben Hobbs […]
2021 NAB League Boys snapshot: Round 9
FULL competition resumed in the NAB League, with seven games played across Round 9 as metropolitan regions returned to the fold. Four of the fixtures were decided by 33 points or more, with Dandenong romping to the weekend’s widest margin of victory (97 points), while the GIANTS Academy rounded out their undefeated cameo with a […]
2021 AFLW Draft Positional Analysis: Tall/Medium Defenders
AFTER announcing the inaugural AFLW Draft Power Rankings Victorian Pool, Draft Central is starting a new series – Positional Analysis. It takes a look across the nation and those players within a certain position, and the impact they have. Next up is tall and medium defenders, where the defender position is the more prevalent area […]
Academy Watch | Lions prospects endure tough loss, Suns earn late call-ups
THE Brisbane Lions reserves returned to the scene of their 2019 NEAFL Grand Final victory at Fankhauser Oval to face their opponents from that day, 2018 NEAFL premiers, the Southport Sharks. However, the 2021 version of the Lions, unlike the undefeated side of two years ago, is injury depleted with 10 Lions Academy players topping […]
