We take a closer look at some of the potential top 20 draftees ahead of the National Draft to be held on the Gold Coast on November 27.
The club will enter the National Draft with live selections at pick 17 and 20.
The following four youngsters are among those touted by draft experts as potential top 20 recruits.
Jake Lever – Calder Cannons
Height: 193cm
Weight: 84kg
An elite key defender, Jake Lever is competitive and aggressive with the ability to shut his opponent down and then provide rebound out of defence. Despite missing the 2014 season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury his professional approach and good endurance have kept him on the radar of most club’s. One of Lever’s key strengths is his intercept marking ability with a possibility he could develop into an elite midfielder with the right training.
Jarrod Garlett – South Fremantle
Height: 177cm
Weight: 73kg
A small midfielder/forward with pace to burn, Jarrod Garlett has the ability to play inside or out. He has shown he can kick cleanly on both sides of his body and could be taken in the top ten at this year’s National Draft. After overcoming injury early in the season he made his debut at senior level in the WAFL and put in a strong performance in the U18 championships.
Paul Ahern – Calder Cannons
Height: 181cm
Weight: 77kg
A smooth moving midfielder with good endurance, Paul Ahern is being talked about as a potential first round selection in this year’s National Draft. Ahern can push forward to kick goals and also has the knack of making the difficult look easy. He is a flexible player who has shown he can play inside and out as well as having pace and endurance. He was a member of the AFL U18 All Australian team selected following the U18 championships.
Caleb Marchbank – Murray Bushrangers
Height: 193cm
Weight: 85kg
An impressive key defender, Caleb Marchbank is expected to be highly sought after in the draft. He is a competitive tall defender who has good mobility and a never say die attitude to beating his opponent. Marchbank is strong overhead with the capabilities to set up his teammates coming out of defence. If needed he can move forward to provide a key marking target in the front half of the ground. He is another U18 All Australian team representative.
