MATURE-AGED prospect Ahmed Saad has increased his chances of being drafted by posting the equal fastest time in the sprint event at the NAB AFL Draft Combine on Wednesday.
Saad, 22, plays for Northern Bullants and this year won the Fothergill-Round Medal for the most promising VFL player.
His 2.86 seconds in the 20m event at Etihad Stadium was equal to the time of Claremont 17-year-old Shannon Taylor, who is eligible for trade by GWS.
Taylor is a classy small forward and midfielder who has been a member of this year's AIS-AFL Academy squad.
Two prospects finished 0.01 second slower than Saad and Taylor: West Perth small midfielder Shane Nelson and North Ballarat Rebels medium midfielder Lachlan Dalgleish.
Nelson, 18, is a rover who can kick goals.
Dalgleish, 18, is a wingman with a penetrating left boot who finished third in a heat of this year's Stawell Gift.
Brad Hill, the West Perth wingman who is the brother Fremantle gun Stephen, ran 2.88 seconds while Hayden Crozier, Alex Woodward and Daniel Markworth ran 2.89 seconds.
Crozier, 17, is a medium forward with Eastern Ranges who became known around Australia after taking a spectacular mark for Vic Metro in this year's NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.
Woodward, 18, was a co-captain, with Jack Williams, of the Sandringham Dragons team that won this year's TAC Cup Grand Final.
Markworth, 18, is a medium forward who impressed with Calder Cannons this year in his first season in the elite system.
Markworth last year concentrated on his year 12 studies with great success; he is now a bio-medical science student at Melbourne University.
The record for the 20m sprint is 2.75 seconds, set last year by the then captain of Queensland's team in the national under-18 championships, Joel Wilkinson.
Wilkinson, a 186cm midfielder, played seven games for Gold Coast this year.
Article courtesy of afl.com.au by Paul Daffey
Last Modified on 13/10/2011 15:06