OVERVIEW

Isaac Quaynor is a prospect who combines outstanding athletic traits with natural footballing ability to make up the archetype of a modern-day footballer. With no real glaring weaknesses in his game, the Collingwood Next Generation Academy (NGA) prospect has established himself as a shoe-in general defender in every side he has represented. A Vic Metro representative this year, Quaynor does most things well and has increased his output massively from a steady bottom-age year to meet the potential that has long been placed on him.

On the topic of potential, Quaynor looks to have one of the higher ceilings amongst the top-end draft talents. Given his exceptional athletic base mastery of the medium defender role, the Oakleigh Charger has huge scope to develop into a dynamic player who can impact in multiple areas of the ground. Should he stick to his defensive roots though, expect to see him impress both tall and small forwards and hold his own in one-on-one contests with uncanny composure.

STRENGTHS

• Vertical leap
• One-on-ones
• Footy IQ
• Decision making
• Endurance
• Scope

Quaynor is unique in the sense that his defensive game is not limited to his stature. While he can’t necessarily take on the gorilla-type forwards, Quaynor’s incredible vertical leap and surprising strength allow him to play well above his size, while also having the capacity to cover smaller types at his 179cm. The style in which Quaynor wins most of his ball is one of the more impressive parts of his game. He dominates in one-on-one situations on account of being niftier than his bigger opponents, and too strong for his smaller ones. His contested ball and marking numbers may not be padded out by any means, but the situations where Quaynor is forced to show his skill in these areas are the ones which catch the eye.

His footy smarts are also a feature from week to week, as he often peels off is opponent to intercept and simply reads the ball better than most, allowing him to best his direct opponent. This also lends to his disposal, and Quaynor is reliable out of the back half at 63.7 per cent by foot, not taking too many risks and playing the percentages with his average of 4.1 rebounds. A good bonus on top of Quaynor’s already strong athletic profile is his endurance. His 2.4 yo-yo endurance test score ranks him in the top ten amongst combine invitees, and highlights how there is hardly an area that he lacks in - which is possibly even his best asset.

IMPROVEMENTS

• Midfield development
• Consistency

Quaynor is a player with few holes in his game, but the areas he can improve in will help him to reach his ceiling rather than acting as mere patch-ups. Quaynor is technically a versatile defender, but could improve on his versatility in the sense of venturing into different positions on the ground. Having been experimented with on a wing and through the midfield at times, it has become clear where Quaynor’s most natural position is - in defence. He can certainly play through the midfield, but it is an area he can continue to improve upon.

It is clear that he has the smarts to win the ball from an opponents’ disposal, but could improve on snapping it up when it’s loose altogether. His offensive game is sound outside of that though, as he uses the ball reasonably well at 70.1 per cent and averages almost two inside 50s per TAC Cup game. You feel as if further development through the midfield is inevitable, and he only has to hone his skills there rather than start completely from scratch. A part of being able to learn new crafts in the game is developing consistency. While Quaynor regularly performs his role, finding the ball at a higher rate could see him transition higher up the ground more easily.

DRAFT PROJECTION: 15-25

SUMMARY

Isaac Quaynor is a likely first round prospect who has impressed with his all-but complete game and outstanding athletic attributes. It is rare that a player can combine that athleticism and a good footy brain, which is exactly what Quaynor does. He may end up being the third bid matched in the draft - expected to come outside of the top 10 - but Quaynor is definitely a player that each club would be keen on adding to their list if he were not tied to the Pies. His defensive partnership with fellow Charger and Collingwood father-son prospect Will Kelly is also one that Pies fans will hope to see carry on into the future in black and white.