Hawthorn Recruiting and List Manager Graham Wright has been keeping an extremely close eye on this year’s crop of potential draftees.
On talent alone, these are the players he believes are the top five in the draft.
1. Jacob Weitering, Dandenong Stingrays
DOB: 23/11/97; Height: 195cm; Weight: 90kg
Jacob is an outstanding key position prospect as a defender. He’s a great size at 195cm, has speed, power and balance, and keeps his feet. He can play in a zone off role or one on one, plays the angles very well and has outstanding ability to maneuver his opponent where he wants him to go (and into non dangerous spots). Jacob has excellent right foot skills, has penetration in his kick and accuracy. He’s a very good intercept mark and will attack out of the back half, with an outstanding combination of speed and endurance.
2. Jacob Hopper, Nth Ballarat Rebels, NSW - GWS Academy
DOB: 6/2/97, Height: 186cm, Weight: 82kg
Jacob is a midfielder with good size at 186cm, an excellent contested ball winner and great stoppage player. He reads the play well, protects the drop zone, is strong in the contest, very courageous, tough and resilient. Jacob has great hands in tight, very good foot skills and has the ability to go forward and kick goals. He’s good overhead for size, a no-fuss type and an outstanding competitor.
3. Josh Schache, Murray Bushrangers
DOB: 21/8/97, Height: 199cm, Weight: 96kg
Josh is the prototype key forward of the modern era (199cm and 96kg). He’s big, powerful, and quick with excellent endurance. He’s very strong overhead and plays in front, with an excellent left foot kick and a good kick at goal. For his size, Josh has agility and very good ground level skills. His ruck work is also good and with his endurance I could see him providing ruck support as he develops his body over time.
4. Darcy Parish, Geelong Falcons
DOB: 25/7/97, Height: 181cm, Weight: 73kg
Darcy is an excellent midfielder, not big body wise but lacks no courage and his ability to win both inside and outside ball makes him an exciting prospect. He played a lot at half back last year but 'graduated' to the midfield seamlessly this year. Darcy has very good foot skills both sides of his body, good hands and an excellent work rate. He looks like a real competitor who thrives on the contest.
5. Callum Mills, North Shore - Sydney Swans Academy
DOB: 2/4/97, Height: 189cm, Weight: 80kg
We didn't see much of Callum this year due to injury, but he has always been an outstanding prospect. At 189cm he’s big for a midfielder but he's quick, very good inside and at the stoppages, and has an excellent work rate. He’s very good overhead and tough. Callum’s kicking is okay and his hands are excellent, clean and balanced.
Note: This article is based solely on Graham Wright’s judgment of the players’ football talent - not interviews, medicals, psychological reports or testing results.
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