THE POTENTIAL CHALLENGER

There are few tall forwards who play with the same intensity and mongrel that Jed Walter does. The Suns Academy product has a ravenous appetite for the contest and is not afraid to get his hands dirty defensively, harassing opposition defenders and throwing his body around inside attacking 50. When afforded a run and jump at the contest, watch out, because Walter will bring the ball and a bunch of bodies with him. He has been on the top five radar for a while, since turning heads for the Allies as a bottom-ager. In 2023, new heights are being hit.

MAY RANKING: #5

LAST MONTH:

A strong couple of outings for the Allies have seen Walter ascend to be arguably the greatest challenger to Reid’s number one mantle. The bustling key forward tore South Australia apart with 3.5 from 17 disposals and nine marks, before enjoying a fierce battle with Dan Curtin for  10 disposals, eight marks and 3.2. His ferocity, athleticism, and imposing presence have some clubs weighing up whether he is indeed this year’s top prospect. As a tall, he stands alone atop the tree.

THE WIZARD

There is no mistaking the wonderfully skilled magician that is Nick Watson. The Eastern Ranges pocket rocket may not quite end up being drafted at such lofty heights, but he deserves to be ranked this highly on talent alone. At 170cm, he has all the speed and skill of any good small but defies his size with a terrific leap and the ability to manufacture a range of avenues to goal. He has added strings to his bow this year too, racking up huge numbers both in attack and defence. He’s as polished as anyone in the 2023 crop.

MAY RANKING: #2

LAST MONTH:

Starting the month of June with a bag of five goals in school footy, Watson was primed for a big performance once Vic Metro duty rolled around. He delivered against South Australia, helping his side kick away with four goals from 14 touches and five marks. His best position remains as a small forward, as he’s simply electric inside 50.

SPEED TO BURN

Colby McKercher is a player with substance to match his flair. The ultra consistent midfielder compliments his ability to rack up big possession hauls with an eye-catching turn of speed and sharp left-foot kicking skills –  all of which he uses to carve the game open. Proving undeniable as a genuine top five talent, the Tasmanian standout leads the RMC Medal count having been adjudged best afield in all of his Talent League outings to date.

MAY RANKING: #3

LAST MONTH:

McKercher just keeps on turning out big performances, no less on the big stage. Across two National Championships outings, the star onballer has averaged 33 disposals – improving on his Talent League numbers – including a haul of 40 against Western Australia. On Sunday, he returned to Tasmanian colours for a lazy 33 touches and 2.5 as the Devils bagged a willing victory over Geelong. Absolute jet.

SMOOTH MOVER

The third in line of four Duursma siblings, Zane could arguably end up being the best of the lot. A natural forward, the athletic 189cm prospect has become much more than a pinch-hitting midfielder this year and has a dynamic skillset in either role. He leaps and marks well overhead, covers the ground beautifully, and has a happy knack for sharking centre bounces at speed. There are few mid-sized players with as much upside as Duursma this year, and that says a lot considering his competition at the top end.

MAY RANKING: #4

LAST MONTH:

Duursma has hit a real purple patch over the last month, racking up handy disposal hauls and consistently hitting the scoreboard. In his four Talent League games post-break, he has averaged 22 disposals and a touch under three goals to only strengthen his standing as a top five talent. A strong first half in Vic Country’s loss to SA also marked a promising start to his national carnival, finishing with 20 disposals.

THE EVERYMAN

Among the most in-vogue traits for modern day AFL Draft prospects is versatility, and Daniel Curtin has proven to have it in spades. He has had stints up forward, down back, and even in midfield, though the consensus is he looks most at home as a key defender. The 195cm tall is able to compete for intercept marks and use the ball beautifully on his wand of a left foot. A genuine big game player, Curtin tends to play his best footy at representative level and burst onto the national stage with his BOG outing in last year’s Under 17 Futures showcase on AFL Grand Final day.

MAY RANKING: #6

LAST MONTH:

It has been all representative action for Curtin in June, with state trials and championship proper fixtures on the agenda. He had a tough job first up, manning Jed Walter in an 88-point loss to the Allies, but backing himself one-on-one to finish with 18 disposals and eight marks. The Black Ducks broke through for a win on Saturday, with Curtin shifting to midfield for a composed haul of 26 disposals and six clearances. Versatility – tick (again).

THE UNICORN

Ethan Read is a player with massive upside. He has a terrific aerobic base and covers the ground incredibly well at over 200cm, is clean below his knees, and can certainly pluck a grab. Though he has a ways to go when it comes to the contested side of his game, the Suns Academy prospect is projecting to be a bonafide top five contender by the end of the year. He’s among a raft of rising key position prospects set to be considered in the early stages of the draft, which in turn will cause a significant headache for Gold Coast’s recruiting team.

MAY RANKING: #7

LAST MONTH:

Another prospect rising to the representative occasion, Read has been terrific as the Allies’ primary ruck across two outings. He notched 18 disposals and 10 hitouts in game one against SA, but went even bigger with 21 touches, 11 marks and 14 hitouts at the end of a terrific battle with WA’s Mitchell Edwards in game two. Capable of special things, his raw potential is clear.

THE AERIALIST

If the name sounds familiar, Nate Caddy is the nephew of two-time premiership Tiger, Josh. He’s a bit taller than his uncle at 192cm and plays like a genuine key position option against his peers, but has the dynamism to develop in other roles. Caddy’s athleticism and aerial ability are pillars of his game and traits which have him pegged as a genuine high-end prospect, despite any conjecture about where he may best fit in at the elite level.

MAY RANKING: #10

LAST MONTH:

Though illness kept him from turning out in Vic Metro’s opening championships game, Caddy returned with a bang on the weekend. Playing in the Talent League with Northern, he tore Bendigo apart with four goals in the third quarter en route to 6.4 overall. His scores came from 25 disposals and nine marks in an imposing performance, and he continued to take toll when given the wrong matchup.

THE UNDENIABLE

A Tasmanian native who is now strutting his stuff in Victoria, Ryley Sanders has taken his game to new heights in 2023. The midfielder, who boards at Melbourne Grammar, joined the Sandringham Dragons program last year after emerging as one of the Apple Isle’s top talents, and remains among the leading Allied prospects. Sanders’ ability to add strings to his bow on top of the strong, clean, and consistent ball winning base he is lauded for makes him just about undeniable as a top 10 talent, and one of the few pure midfielders in said range.

MAY RANKING: #19

LAST MONTH:

Sanders has been in unbelievable form all season, and truly stamped his top 10 credentials with another strong month of football in June. On top of a school football outing, Sanders proved his ball winning acumen and consistency with hauls of 35 and 39 disposals in his opening two National Championships games, helping the Allies notch a pair of impressive wins. He’s a rare midfield jet among the raft of talls and flankers this year.

HITOUT KING

The tallest player to feature in our top 20 at 206cm, Mitchell Edwards is in a similar category to Read in the sense that his upside is phenomenal. Edwards has dominated the ruck realm against his peers and has proven his dexterity around the ground, even hitting the scoreboard consistently at WAFL Colts level. He’s a Fremantle Next Generation Academy product but is just about certain not to end up in purple via the bidding system, which would require him to fall outside of the top 40 picks.

MAY RANKING: #8

LAST MONTH:

Edwards continues to firm as the best pure ruck in the draft crop, remaining a top 10 candidate for his form with Western Australia. The Black Ducks’ big man showed his wares against rival ruck Ethan Read with 11 disposals and 30 hitouts in game one, which proved an intriguing battle. He backed up with a more restricted game on Saturday, copping a knock in the third quarter and playing mostly up forward thereafter. A question mark remains over his fitness for Friday’s clash with Vic Country at the WACA.

SILKY SKILLS

There are few more enjoyable players to watch in full flight than Darcy Wilson, whose smooth movement and wicked step often times make opponents look silly. The Murray Bushrangers standout is capable of playing on either side of midfield and up forward, breaking lines with his speed and hitting the scoreboard with great proficiency. He has backed up a promising bottom-age campaign with aplomb, proving his high-end potential with top performances for both Murray and the National Academy.

MAY RANKING: #9

LAST MONTH:

Wilson has really found his groove in the Talent League, and it showed across his two appearances this month. Enjoying more midfield sustained exposure, he has racked up 33 and 30 disposals in consecutive losses, bookending a promising but much less prolific effort for Vic Country. In another loss, he showed glimpses up forward before being shifted up to a wing. He’ll likely remain among the consensus top 10-15 players.

CONNOR O’ ALL TRADES

Connor O’Sullivan is among the rare group of 198cm players who can ply their trade in any role asked of them, having swung up either end of the ground and even through midfield in 2023. He moves super well for his height and can rack up possessions like a mid-sized player, but bases his game on impacting aerially from contest to contest before mopping up at ground level. The NSW native is a pillar of the Allies squad and is yet another tall in this crop who has accelerated his development after a bottom-age campaign of nice glimpses.

MAY RANKING: #15

LAST MONTH:

An emerging top 10 challenger, O’Sullivan has found a rich vein of form of late. The mobile is settled down back, where he has averaged 17 disposals and eight marks across his two National Championships games with the Allies. His second outing was particularly impressive, as was his return to the Talent League on Saturday – yielding 23 disposals, 12 marks and eight rebound 50s in a loss to Western.

POCKET ROCKET

A player with all the skill and flair any good small should have, Jake Rogers proves that if you’re good enough, you’re big enough. The 171cm Suns Academy speedster has a wicked turn of foot and is super clean at stoppage, defying his size as a bonafide midfield prospect. Though, his willingness to apply defensive pressure and notable skill, combined with elite decision making make him a prospect who could genuinely develop in any third of the ground at AFL level – most likely up forward.

MAY RANKING: #14

LAST MONTH:

Rogers made his VFL debut for Gold Coast’s reserves over the weekend, notching 11 disposals and five tackles in a thumping win over Box Hill Hawks. It capped off another great month for the diminutive ball winner, who also averaged 21 disposals, seven tackles and five clearances per his two Allies appearances in June.

THE NEXT FATHER-SON GUN

A bolter of sorts out of the Calder Cannons, Jordan Croft has built exponentially on the small windows of promise he provided last year. At 200cm, he is yet another key position prospect tied to the Western Bulldogs as the son of 186-game former ‘Dog, Matthew. Jordan’s mobility as a ruck-forward is outstanding as he can carry the ball at speed and tackle aggressively, while also having the spring-heeled aerial impact you would expect of a player his height. He has a massive amount of potential to grow even further, still.

MAY RANKING: #13

LAST MONTH:

It has been a month of consistent output for Croft, who produced a pair of eight-disposal, three-goal games in the Talent League. In between those efforts, he booted another three majors at representative level en route to helping Vic Metro thump South Australia. He remains a first round contender and will lock himself among the top 15 if he can continually put the pieces together.

THE ULTIMATE UTILITY

Whether it be in his usual station on the wing, through the centre bounces or resting up forward, Joel Freijah has proven his first round potential in 2023. The GWV Rebels utility has serious pop as a 191cm talent who is elusive as those 20cm shorter than him, but strong as you would expect. His athleticism, versatility and work rate are strengths which look like carrying him far – potentially much higher than his current ranking.

MAY RANKING: #17

LAST MONTH:

Continuing to rotate through a variety of roles, Freijah’s output hardly wavered over the last month. He mixed starting in midfield and on the wing with stints up forward, and kept on finding the ball through his running capacity. In two Talent League games, he registered 23 and 21 disposals, with the latter performance also yielding two goals. His upside points towards first round status, especially if he can take another game by the scruff of its neck.

KOLT HERO

Koltyn Tholstrup has the flair on and off the field to suggest he will quickly become a genuine cult hero at the next level, but there is substance to his game too. The Subiaco midfielder-forward has broken through to the senior WAFL grade and is always up for a contest, working hard in either post and building on the explosive Colts season he put together in 2022. He can take strong grabs at 184cm, is no stranger to hitting the scoreboard, and has serious power to go with his effort game.

MAY RANKING: #18

LAST MONTH:

Returning from injury to make a splash in Western Australia’s second championships game, Tholstrup was difficult to shift from his original standing in the top 20. He proved his quality on the weekend with several hard-working efforts playing as a forward, ending up with 20 disposals and a goal in the breakthrough win. With more of the same and a higher output at senior level, he could make a rise.

ATHLETIC PHENOM

The second father-son candidate to grace our top 20, Will McCabe has the makings of a serious player. The son of Luke is tied to Hawthorn and plies his trade for Central District in the SANFL Under 18s, where he has put up a string of strong numbers. Last year, he shot to prominence as South Australia’s Under 16 MVP – albeit competing as an over-ager there – and has shown marked improvement as a top-ager to press his case as a genuine first round prospect. He has serious athleticism; able to fly for contested marks, follow up, and carry the ball with speed.

MAY RANKING: #16

LAST MONTH:

McCabe remains in a similar range to last month having turned out for three of South Australia’s four National Championships games, proving steady in each. He found it tough to match Jed Walter in game one and missed game two against Metro, before having a competitive battle against Michael Rudd in game three and playing in another loss on Saturday. He arguably serves best as an attacking defender who can peel off and hit intercept opportunities with vigour, rather than a lockdown type.

THE INTERCEPTOR

The first new entry to our June Power Rankings, Murphy is another key position prospect who rises up the board as others fall around him. Though shown to roll through the ruck at school football level, Murphy is at home in defence where his reading of the play and marking ability make for great viewing. He attacks the aerial ball like a forward work and at 200cm, has exciting athleticism which points towards strong upside.

MAY RANKING: Unranked

LAST MONTH:

Along with his commitments for one game with Caulfield Grammar in June, Murphy earned a berth for Vic Metro as a key pillar down back. He fared well in a convincing win, albeit for modest numbers of six disposals and three marks. Greater tests will come as the championships roll on, and when he eventually returns to the Sandringham Dragons side for a late-season run.

THE GOALSNEAK

There are few more classy and exciting small forwards on their day than Delean, who is another new entrant to this year’s rankings. Highly touted throughout his junior career, he tends to rise to big occasions and has undeniable nous inside 50, where he plays his best footy. Whether it be with high-flying marks, clever crumbs or shrewd snaps, Delean catches the eye akin to the likes of Cody Weightman with his genuine flair.

MAY RANKING: Unranked

LAST MONTH:

Delean set the National Championships alight with two hauls of four goals, though the gap between his output was stark. South Australia went 1-3 and a lot of the early scoring load was left to the X-factor of Delean in game one, while his game three exploits against Vic Country helped get the Croweaters home. With staggered supply and little opportunity to venture up the ground, he did all he could to press his case as a potential first rounder.

RISING RUCK

Another rising key position prospect, Green has the makings of a serious talent if he can consistently put the pieces together. The 204cm big man is mechanically sound for such a developing type, adding sound fundamentals to his undeniably strong ruck craft. He earned a couple of key honours heading into his top-age campaign, named in the National Academy and as Northern Knights co-captain.

MAY RANKING: Unranked

LAST MONTH:

Arguably Green’s best performances to date have come within the last month and a half. His back-to-back Talent League outings at Preston City Oval yielded a combined 35 disposals, 10 marks, and 55 hitouts from the ruck, along with two goals while rotating forward against Murray. After another promising return of 13 touches and 21 hitouts in Vic Metro’s win over SA, he was a touch quieter back in Knights colours on the weekend, but dominated the ruck battle with 31 hitouts. The signs are there, though this may be an early crow.