POSITION: Balanced Midfielder/Defender 

SNAPSHOT: "A speedy and productive mover on the outside, Chesser breaks the lines from half-back or the wing but has also shown a good balance in his ball winning."

Coming into the year widely regarded as a top 10 prospect, Campbell Chesser suffered a meniscus injury in his second NAB League outing of the season, limiting his opportunities across a highly anticipated top-age campaign. What Chesser had shown in the previous fixture and his Under 16s year, was his clean ball use and athleticism, allowing him to strive through the midfield with his classy ball movement going forward. To complement this, Chesser is a two-way runner, winning possession in the defensive 50 and moving it on well, then generally running hard to impact up the field in the same passage of play.

STRENGTHS:

+ Speed
+ Kicking
+ Class
+ Versatility
+ Outside run
+ Breaking the lines

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Contested game
- Tackling

AFL Academy member, Chesser entered the year as one of the players to watch and started his season well before being struck down by a meniscus injury. What was supposed to be a short-term injury unfortunately turned into a decent lay off, seeing Chesser return for just two games prior to the season cancellation for Victorian prospects. Despite this time off, what Chesser showed prior and in his Under 16s year will be enough to see him make it through to the next level, although slightly likely lower than was predicted.

At the next level, Chesser is going to offer classy use of the footy, particularly by foot, whether he’s playing on the wing, off half-back or through the middle. Chesser remains composed going in the thick of things, threading kicks out to teammates in space with solid placement to make them as easy to mark as possible. When given space by his opponents, Chesser will run the ball forward, eagerly taking bounces to advance as far as possible before having to kick it. Chesser maintains his composure and class by foot even at full speed, making his outside work particularly dangerous.

An impressive part of Chesser’s game is his work rate off the ball, where he’ll run both ways to be an option for teammates or provide an extra body in defence to be a dangerous player in transition. That work rate doesn’t apply just defensively, as he runs hard when his side has the ball to be a genuine option, or to get forward and sweep up spilled balls from contests. With his high level athletics background, that repeat running at speed isn’t a surprising trait and remains one of his biggest weapons.

Whilst work rate certainly isn’t an issue for Chesser, he may look to improve his tackling at the next level. He is able to keep up with opponents easily enough, but sometimes struggles to execute or keep hold when he grabs on. Another area Chesser may look to improve is his contested ball winning, especially if he looks to play more inside in future, complementing his composure under pressure and clean ball use.

DRAFT PROJECTION: 12-25

SUMMARY:

There's no doubt that 2021 has been a frustrating year for Chesser, who could arguably have pushed for top 10 contention if not for injury and pandemic-related disruptions. With consistency hard to come by, he slid down the order a touch but remains a player with serious athletic weapons and the footballing nous to match. On top of that, the 18-year-old is a great character who presents well and brings elite standards which clubs will love. He is a first round candidate and may well be a bargain any further down the line.

FURTHER CONTENT:

>> Podcast: The Midfielder's Draft
>> 2020 Preseason Q&A