Nine Peter Jackson VFL players have been invited to the NAB AFL State Draft Combine in October this year.
Standalone VFL clubs dominate the invitee list, with Williamstown receiving three invites, Coburg and Frankston two each along with Essendon also with two.
Adam Marcon heads the list of Williamstown players invited to the Combine, returning to form this year after an injury interrupted 2013 season. He has been averaging 24 disposals a game with the Seagulls (14 kicks, 10 handballs) and has been an integral part of the midfield this season at his new club.
He is joined by former TAC Cup players Jack Johnstone and Jake Owen, both who have cemented regular senior spots this year – Johnstone in his second season at VFL level and Owen in his first after winning the Calder Cannons best & fairest in 2013.
Defenders were high on the selection list at Coburg, with backline pair Michael Hartley and Adam Saad both invited from the Lions. Hartley has this year overcome his shoulder problems that reduced him to only one VFL game in 2013 in his final year on Collingwood’s AFL list, while Saad has flourished under new coach Peter German in a more defensive role in 2014, surpassing his 10 senior games in 2013 by playing all 15 games for the Lions this season.
Nicholas Newman is another that has developed into a regular senior football this year at Frankston, playing in every Dolphins game in 2014, averaging 23 disposals and seven marks a game. He is joined by Dolphin’s WA recruit Shannon Taylor, who has impressed in his eight games this season despite injury.
After seeing two Essendon VFL players recruited in 2013, it is no surprise to see a number of Bomber VFL players invited to the State Combine this year. In a reoccurring theme for a number of the combine invitees, Sam Tagliabue has had an impact this year in the ruck averaging 28 hitouts a game, after not playing a senior game due to injury in his first year on the Bombers VFL list. Dan Coghlan will join his teammate at the Combine, after averaging 20 disposals a game in the middle for the Bombers in his second season at the club, after six games in 2013.
AFL clubs each produced 25 nominations for the state-based combine, with players needing two nominations to attend one of the state screenings, which will be held in Melbourne on Saturday October 4.
NAB AFL STATE DRAFT COMBINE INVITEES
Michael Hartley |
Coburg |
Adam Saad |
Coburg |
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Daniel Coghlan |
Essendon |
Sam Tagliabue |
Essendon |
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Nicholas Newman |
Frankston |
Shannon Taylor |
Frankston |
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Jack Johnstone |
Williamstown |
Adam Marcon |
Williamstown |
Jake Owen |
Williamstown |
Last Modified on 06/08/2014 15:23