{"id":86002,"date":"2021-09-06T15:41:23","date_gmt":"2021-09-06T05:41:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/afl.draftcentral.localhost\/?p=86002"},"modified":"2021-09-06T15:41:23","modified_gmt":"2021-09-06T05:41:23","slug":"up-the-grades-which-youngsters-cracked-senior-footy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2021\/09\/06\/up-the-grades-which-youngsters-cracked-senior-footy\/","title":{"rendered":"Up the Grades: Which youngsters cracked senior footy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

WITH finals time finally upon us in state leagues around the nation, there are plenty of budding AFL Draft prospects who are stepping up on the big stage. In a look Up the Grades<\/em>, we highlight some of the National Combine invitees, state squad members, and academy products who plied their trade at senior level this past weekend.<\/p>\n

A talented quartet of South Australian Under 19 representatives plied their trade in the SANFL top flight this past weekend, headlined by pick one contender Jason Horne-Francis<\/strong>. After a relatively quiet National Championships dig by his lofty standards, the explosive midfielder-forward sent a reminder of his talents with 24 disposals, five clearances, nine inside 50s and a goal as the Panthers downed West Adelaide. Matthew Roberts<\/strong> also featured as South secured finals, snaring two goals from 13 disposals.<\/p>\n

First round bolter Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera<\/strong> also returned to the League grade, though his Glenelg side lost its first game for the season right on the eve of finals. The 18-year-old wingman notched nine disposals and four marks for the Bays. Elsewhere, top-ager Max Litster<\/strong> was productive on debut with 23 touches and seven marks as Woodville-West Torrens trounced Central District. Raw Bulldogs defender and combine invitee Leek Alleer<\/strong> took two marks from eight disposals, while Tasmanian Oliver Davis<\/strong> (16 disposals) turned out for Adelaide’s last game of the season – a loss to Norwood.<\/p>\n

There were a few more debuts in the Reserves, including North Adelaide midfield pair Hugh Jackson<\/strong> and Harvey Harrison<\/strong>. Both managed 11 disposals with the latter, an emergency for last week’s championships clash, also kicking a goal. Under 18s skipper and Adelaide Next Generation Academy (NGA) candidate Blayne O’Loughlin<\/strong> also featured for the Roosters, who beat Sturt.<\/p>\n

The Double Blues were served well by state vice-captain Mani Liddy<\/strong> (26 disposals, eight clearances) who is in good touch, while Zac Becker<\/strong> also built on his representative form with 22 touches and a whopping 13 rebound 50s in the loss. Up the other end, it was a quieter day for fellow tall Morgan Ferres<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Woodville-West Torrens and Central Districts were the other two sides to field a bunch of Under 19 state squad members, as the Eagles got up by 15 points. Most of them turned out in Bulldogs colours, including debutant Luca Whitelum<\/strong> (21 disposals, nine marks) and Shay Linke<\/strong> (18 disposals, nine marks, eight tackles), who narrowly missed the starting squad.<\/p>\n

Adelaide NGA small forward Isaiah Dudley<\/strong> was productive with 15 touches and a goal, while the speedy Lachlan Grubb<\/strong> had it 12 times. For the Eagles, bottom-ager Adam D’Aloia<\/strong> ran out at the level once more and laid six tackles to go with his 14 disposals. Northern Territory native Ronald Fejo<\/strong> was another to watch in the two’s, booting a goal from 24 disposals as West Adelaide downed South.<\/p>\n

Over in Western Australia, a trio of state squad guns hit League level after helping the Black Ducks to last week’s Under 19 win. Peel Thunder utility Brady Hough<\/strong> was arguably the pick of the bunch, registering 22 disposals, nine marks, five inside 50s and a goal in his sparkling top flight debut.<\/p>\n

Backman Jack Avery<\/strong> took five marks for Perth in a loss to West Perth, while Fremantle NGA prospect Jesse Motlop<\/strong> booted 2.2 from his 13 touches as South Fremantle beat West Coast. Classy Subiaco midfielder Matthew Johnson<\/strong> was also set to line up for the Reserves, but did not end up taking the field at any level.<\/p>\n

Three seperate age groups were represented among the Tasmania Devils players to turn out in Sunday’s TSL preliminary final, which saw Launceston qualify for this week’s decider with a big win over Clarence. National Combine invitee Baker Smith<\/strong> was among the Roos’ best in the loss along with Darcy Gardner<\/strong> (one goal), as Noah Holmes<\/strong> again got stuck into his ruck duties.<\/p>\n

Bottom-agers Tom McCallum<\/strong> and Bryce Alomes<\/strong> also lined up for Clarence, as did the 2002-born Lachlan Borsboom<\/strong>. In the navy blue of Launceston, Zach Morris<\/strong> continues to provide quality with his versatility, while top-agers Jayden Hinds<\/strong> and Bailey Gillow<\/strong> played their parts off the bench with a grand final appearance up for grabs.<\/p>\n

The QAFL entered its second week of finals, leaving a couple more left to play, with a scattering of Brisbane and Gold Coast academy products hitting the senior grade. Suns Academy player of the year Bodhi Uwland<\/strong> turned out for Broadbeach, who secured a spot in the grand final by downing Labrador.<\/p>\n

The exciting defender-midfielder was joined by Cody Harrington<\/strong> (one goal) and Ryan Pickering<\/strong> in the winning side. For Labrador, top-ager Bailey Reeves<\/strong> and Mackenzie Riddle<\/strong> were among the squad which will get a second chance at grand final qualification next week.<\/p>\n

Maroochydore is the team the Tigers await, after the Roos defeated reigning premier Morningside in style on Saturday. Daniel Lanthois<\/strong> booted a goal for the victors, while big-bodied midfielder Toby Triffett<\/strong> was named the Panthers’ best, as fellow top-ager Saxon Crozier<\/strong> managed a goal and Max Nelson<\/strong> again played his part.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Featured Image:<\/strong> Brady Hough (left) earned a WAFL League debut this week | Credit:<\/strong> Shazza J Photography<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WITH finals time finally upon us in state leagues around the nation, there are plenty of budding AFL Draft prospects who are stepping up on the big stage. In a look Up the Grades, we highlight some of the National Combine invitees, state squad members, and academy products who plied their trade at senior level […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":82726,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11616,11617,8,3132,11725,3130,15,3133,11728,11726,3131],"tags":[13194,319,11066,235,14445,13555,14007,4472,9357,16990,17809,17810,9337,5294,12608,10162,13533,12867,4473,14283,17673,14507,14018,11751,12663,8167,12859,17811,5860,8889,5847,13881,17790,9137,17459,1335,11815,9420,15003,5870,3351,1555,12664,10161,12590,1644,236,5482,17808,9564,234,17261,2354,17305,75,17812,17420,3266,17807,1888,1890,1921,15157,13749],"class_list":["post-86002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brisbane-lions-academy","category-gold-coast-suns-academy","category-news","category-queensland","category-match-day-sanfl","category-south-australia","category-state-leagues","category-tasmania","category-match-day-tasmania","category-match-day-wafl","category-western-australia","tag-13194","tag-academy","tag-adam-daloia","tag-afl-draft","tag-bailey-gillow","tag-bailey-reeves","tag-baker-smith","tag-blayne-oloughlin","tag-bodhi-uwland","tag-brady-hough","tag-bryce-alomes","tag-cody-harrington","tag-daniel-lanthois","tag-darcy-gardner","tag-debut","tag-draft-central","tag-harvey-harrison","tag-hugh-jackson","tag-isaiah-dudley","tag-jack-avery","tag-jason-horne-francis","tag-jayden-hinds","tag-jesse-motlop","tag-lachlan-borsboom","tag-league","tag-leek-alleer","tag-luca-whitelum","tag-mackenzie-riddle","tag-mani-liddy","tag-matthew-johnson","tag-matthew-roberts","tag-max-litster","tag-max-nelson","tag-morgan-ferres","tag-nasiah-wanganeen-milera","tag-national-combine","tag-nga","tag-noah-holmes","tag-northern-academy","tag-oliver-davis","tag-qafl","tag-queensland","tag-reserves","tag-ronald-fejo","tag-ryan-pickering","tag-sa","tag-sanfl","tag-saxon-crozier","tag-senior-football","tag-shay-linke","tag-south-australia","tag-state-19s","tag-state-leagues","tag-state-squad","tag-tasmania","tag-tby-triffett","tag-tom-mccallum","tag-tsl","tag-up-the-grades","tag-wa","tag-wafl","tag-western-australia","tag-zac-becker","tag-zach-morris"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86002"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86011,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86002\/revisions\/86011"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82726"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}