2007 NAB AFL Draft Camp results
• 20-metre sprints: David Gourdis - Subiaco (2.83), Clayton Hinkley - North Ballt Rebels (2.88), Steven Gaertner - Dand Stingrays (2.88)
• Agility: Aaron Joseph - Tassie Mariners (7.91), Lachlan Hill - Oakl Chargers (8.05), Clayton Hinkley - Dand Stingrays (8.07)
• 6 x 30m repeat sprints: Chris Kangars - Geel Falcons (23.59), Patrick Dangerfield - Geel Falcons (23.96), Cyril Rioli - NT Thunder (24.01)
• Shuttle run (aka beep test): Cale Morton - Claremont (15.2 - Level 15 Shuttle 2), Joel Smouha - Mt Gravatt (15.1), Brendan Whitecross - Zillmere (14.10), Clayton Hinkley - North Ballt Rebels (14.9), Rhys Palmer - East Freo (14.8), Scott Selwood - Bend Pioneers (14.7)
The Article Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/04Oct07

NAB AFL Draft Camp: Smouha the smokey (Smouha pronounced smoo-ha)
Every year there's always one player whose pure athleticism at the NAB AFL Draft Camp catches the eye of recruiters, and the bolter of the 2007 meeting, which wrapped up in Canberra on Friday, is Queenslander Joel Smouha. The 196cm ruck/key position prospect raised eyebrows on Day Two of the camp with a second placing in the beep test before blitzing the field in the final event of the three-day talent show; the three km time trial. Both endurance disciplines have been dominated by smaller onball types over the camp's 14-year history, but Smouha changed all that with a 15.1 in the beep (just behind Claremont's Cale Morton) and a three km time of 10 min 23 sec. "It's a pretty good feeling being able to beat all the little guys," Smouha said with a grin shortly after leading the field home on a grass track in blustery conditions. "I just keep telling myself to keep going, even though you're hurting, you've just got to keep pushing through it. I've always been all right at cross-country running and athletics and I've always found that I had a pretty natural endurance base." Smouha, who turns 18 next February, plays for Brisbane club Mt Gravatt and is the latest to join the growing list of big Queenslanders who successfully take up AFL relatively late in life. "I've only been playing AFL for about a year and before that I'd played soccer my whole life," the former striker revealed.
The Article Jason Phelan/AFL/saints.com.au/07Oct07
David Myers' NAB AFL Draft Camp diary David Myers with Matt Burga/AFL/saints.com.au/07Oct07

NAB AFL Draft Camp: Running solo
With the bulk of this year's NAB AFL Draft Camp consisting of Victorians and Western Australians, spare a thought for young New South Welshman Tony Armstrong, who was his state's sole representative. Although Armstrong said several NSW players may have attended the camp had they not already been aligned to AFL clubs via the state's scholarship scheme, he still felt proud to be representing his region. "It was a bit of a privilege, but I suppose some of the NSW scholarship holders may have been here if they were able to be, but I'm flying the flag up here for NSW," Armstrong told afl.com.au at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. "I'm really proud to be at the camp and it's great that footy in NSW is on the up. Winning the [under-18] championships have helped this year." Although hailing from Burrambuttock near Albury, Armstrong lives in Victoria while he attends Assumption College. He made a couple of appearances with the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup. "I go to boarding school at Assumption College, just out of Melbourne, so I got picked up by the [Calder] Cannons, but I only played there twice this year because of school footy," he said. "I played predominantly school footy this year and for NSW. I wasn't there that much for Calder this season because of school footy and I also broke my arm playing for the school combined side." Armstrong, a passionate Sydney supporter, said his mother guided him towards Australian Football when he was younger.
The Article Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/08Oct07

Trade week: What your team wants
. . . ST KILDA
"There's probably two phases where you're super-aggressive in the trade period where you think 'we've got to make some drastic changes', but we're not in that situation. We're more of a mindset that if we didn't trade at all it wouldn't greatly concern us; we're quite happy to go with the kids from the draft pool. But if a club came to us and said 'look we really want a certain player and we're prepared to do this and this' we'd listen. I think we wouldn't be doing due diligence if we didn't. With regard to the draft, it's no secret that the St Kilda Football Club is looking for a bit of run so we're paying particular interest to them, but we've got to keep a general view too because with pick nine you can't be 100 per cent sure [who's going to be available]. You can't target a couple of players because they might not be there."
Recruiting manager John Peake.
All Clubs Matt Burgan and Jason Phelan/afl.com.au/07Oct07

Trade winds to affect draft
After three days of running, jumping and selling themselves to AFL clubs, this year's best young footballers have started to fall into order. But for the first time in five years, next week's trade period will have a big say in where they launch their AFL careers. If Carlton hangs tough, and holds on to its No. 1 pick, Matthew Kreuzer will become a Blue within the first few seconds of draft day. But if the Blues relinquish it to the Eagles, another player, such as onballer Trent Cotchin, could be the first name called. If the Eagles settle for pick three, and Cotchin has been chosen by Richmond at No. 2, a West Australian onballer, Chris Masten, may be ushered right up the order. And then there is Cale Morton. All year, Morton has been ranked a top-three pick, and he will be snapped up quickly on draft day. Rumours say the Tigers are keen on securing his older brother, West Coast player Mitch, during trade week. That, in turn, has created speculation they'll grab Morton at pick two, allowing Cotchin to slide to pick three and (depending on what Chris Judd gets West Coast) end up in Perth. Melbourne, with pick four, is in an interesting spot; should someone unexpected fly up the order, either Cotchin or Morton may fall to it, which would make for a very happy Demons team.
The Article Emma Quayle/RealFooty/07Oct07

Trade week: What your team wants
. . . ST KILDA
"There's probably two phases where you're super-aggressive in the trade period where you think 'we've got to make some drastic changes', but we're not in that situation. We're more of a mindset that if we didn't trade at all it wouldn't greatly concern us; we're quite happy to go with the kids from the draft pool. But if a club came to us and said 'look we really want a certain player and we're prepared to do this and this' we'd listen. I think we wouldn't be doing due diligence if we didn't. With regard to the draft, it's no secret that the St Kilda Football Club is looking for a bit of run so we're paying particular interest to them, but we've got to keep a general view too because with pick nine you can't be 100 per cent sure [who's going to be available]. You can't target a couple of players because they might not be there."
Recruiting manager John Peake.
All Clubs Matt Burgan and Jason Phelan/afl.com.au/07Oct07

Trade winds to affect draft
After three days of running, jumping and selling themselves to AFL clubs, this year's best young footballers have started to fall into order. But for the first time in five years, next week's trade period will have a big say in where they launch their AFL careers. If Carlton hangs tough, and holds on to its No. 1 pick, Matthew Kreuzer will become a Blue within the first few seconds of draft day. But if the Blues relinquish it to the Eagles, another player, such as onballer Trent Cotchin, could be the first name called. If the Eagles settle for pick three, and Cotchin has been chosen by Richmond at No. 2, a West Australian onballer, Chris Masten, may be ushered right up the order. And then there is Cale Morton. All year, Morton has been ranked a top-three pick, and he will be snapped up quickly on draft day. Rumours say the Tigers are keen on securing his older brother, West Coast player Mitch, during trade week. That, in turn, has created speculation they'll grab Morton at pick two, allowing Cotchin to slide to pick three and (depending on what Chris Judd gets West Coast) end up in Perth. Melbourne, with pick four, is in an interesting spot; should someone unexpected fly up the order, either Cotchin or Morton may fall to it, which would make for a very happy Demons team.
The Article Emma Quayle/RealFooty/07Oct07

Kreuzer still the one by a mile
It tookjust three days at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra this week for Matthew Kreuzer to reinforce what every AFL club recruiter already knew - he is the best young talent in Australia. And no wonder Carlton is trying to keep its No. 1 pick in the national draft for the 18-year-old - his speed results in this week's camp were as good as those of any midfielder. But despite the talk, Carlton coach Brett Ratten insisted no decision had been made. "We don't tell the player until at least the day before the draft because anything can happen," Ratten said yesterday. And with the Judd situation, we just have to wait and see what happens. We can't work out our picks until the deal is done." All talent scouts from the 16 clubs agree that Kreuzer, who is 199cm and 91kg, is the best available talent, followed closely by his Northern Knights' teammate Trent Cotchin and Claremont's Cale Morton. Cotchin broke his ankle during his team's TAC Cup finals campaign and was one of the 15 players out of the 79 who could not do any physical activities because of injury. "It was really disappointing not to be out there with the other boys," Cotchin said.
The Article Daryl Timms/HeraldSun/06Oct07

Questionnaire with Dr Noel Blundell
2007 NAB AFL Draft Camp - Players' views Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/05Oct07

Football sons luck of draw
The numbers have fallen the right way for Darcy Daniher, but it's different for Alex Rance. Daniher had the chance of going to both Sydney and Essendon under the father-son rule. His father Anthony played 115 games for South Melbourne-Sydney before being traded to Essendon, where he played 118 games. But Daniher has chosen Essendon, and although the club must now go through a bidding process on Monday, it is confident of getting him. Rance's father Murray also played at two clubs - Footscray and West Coast - but didn't achieve the necessary 100 games at either club for his son to qualify under the rule. His tally at Footscray was 40 games between 1986-87 and 57 at West Coast from 1988-1990. He also played 148 games in the WAFL. Alex Rance, who is expected to be an early selection in next month's national draft, admits it would have been nice if his father had played the necessary quota with the Eagles, which he captained in 1989. He's not concerned if an intestate club drafts him.
The Article Daryl Timms/HeraldSun/06Oct07

Next Selwood on the move
There is a new rule for AFL recruiters travelling to Bendigo to meet Scott Selwood and his parents. If you're from a Victorian club, you can have a tasty snack. If no Emma Quayle/HeraldSun/05Oct07t, you miss out. "It's my mum's rule. She decided that people from interstate aren't allowed to have chocolate biscuits, but that everyone else can," laughed the fourth - and final - Selwood brother. "She's getting a bit worried about me going, but it's not too bad. She knows the process, and it will be hard if I do have to go off somewhere, but we've all figured that out in the last few years. You just have to take it as it comes." Selwood was at the MCG to watch his third brother, Joel, play in a premiership with Geelong, less than 10 months after moving away from home. His older brother, Troy, sat and watched with him. All three were at the ground a year before, to see Adam win his own medallion with West Coast.
The Article Emma Quayle/RealFooty/05Oct07

Ebert has family reputation to uphold
Every year, in the new wave of AFL prospects, familiar football names are sprinkled in the mix ... Again at this year's NAB AFL Draft Camp, there are several notable family names and one of them is among the biggest in Australian Football - particularly in South Australia - Ebert. Brad Ebert is the latest hot prospect from an immensely strong football family. He is the son of former Port Adelaide Magpie Craig and nephew of Russell (who many believe is the greatest footballer to hail from South Australia). Brad's cousin Brett also had his finest year with Port Adelaide this season. So does South Australia's best 2007 draft prospect - he is regarded as a first-round selection - feel the expectation as his state's leading contender, along with the pressure of following in the footsteps of family members? "In a way I feel a little bit of pressure, but it's not too bad and I don't mind it. It's nothing like what Bryce Gibbs had last year, so I find it OK ... " Ebert told afl.com.au at NAB AFL Draft Camp this week.
The Article Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/05Oct07

Dragon draft dream alive
Sandringham Dragons ruckman John Shaw has moved a step closer to fulfilling his dream of playing in the AFL. Shaw will attend a state-based screening session for potential AFL draftees tomorrow at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. The half-day draft camp is a second chance for 60 young footballers overlooked for the AFL national draft camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. The invitation to attend the state screening session is a coup for Shaw, who missed selection in last year's draft. The 197cm ruckman was one of two under-19 players selected for Sandringham's TAC Cup side. Shaw averaged 33 hitouts a game this season and earned a spot in the TAC Cup Team of the Year ... Melbourne, Queensland, Tasmania screening session begins tomorrow at 10.30am - Adelaide state-based screening day on October 13 - Perth state-based screening day is on October 14
The Article Gareth Trickey/HeraldSun/05Oct07

Clubs chase Brisbane ruckman
Young Brisbane Lions ruckman Cameron Wood has attracted significant interest from a number of clubs, including St Kilda, Adelaide and Collingwood. Wood is contracted to Brisbane for another 12 months, but the South Australian is clearly behind Jamie Charman and outstanding ruck prospect Matthew Leuenberger in the pecking order at Brisbane and is likely to request a trade ... Geelong also could produce a surplus ruckman, given that Steven King and Mark Blake are confronting the season-long question of whether both can be accommodated.
The Article JakeNiall/RealFooty/04Oct07

Swans to deal for Demons forward
Swans coach Paul Roos acknowledged interest in the 24-year-old who is out of contract with the Demons. "We've had preliminary discussions with Melbourne and it'll probably start to heat up a bit now," Roos said. Miller has played with success at both centre half-forward and centre half-back, but Roos said he was looking at Miller as another tall-forward option. Melbourne list manager Craig Cameron said he was aware of Sydney's interest, but declared Miller a required player ... Melbourne is trying to off-load 2005 best-and-fairest winner Travis Johnstone for the right deal. So far, there have been no takers for the 1997 No.1 national draft selection. One of the biggest names heading for the pre-season draft could be Fremantle's Paul Hasleby, who remains out of contract and in dispute with the Dockers ... The Western Bulldogs may turn their attention to contracted Port Adelaide key-forward Damon White following the re-signing of Ken McGregor by the Crows for two years. With the Dogs' early targets - Melbourne's Russell Robertson and McGregor - now unavailable, White will be approached despite the Power's insistence that he is a required player next season. Mitch Hahn remains out of contract at the Whitten Oval despite the Bulldogs' offer of a three-year contract. The dispute between player and club is over money, but the Dogs expect a deal to be struck. Jordan McMahon, who is also out of contract with the Bulldogs, has requested to be retained and the club has offered him a two-year contract.
The Article Greg Denham/TheAustralian/04Oct07

Draft camp moves into Kreuzer control
He's a softly-spoken 18-year-old who still sports braces, but Victorian footballer Matthew Kreuzer is one of the most wanted men in Canberra this week. As an agile ruckman who can also move forward and kick goals, he won this year's Morrish Medal for best and fairest in the under-18s competition in Victoria. Officials from all 16 AFL clubs are keeping a close eye on Kreuzer during this week's draft camp at the AIS, but Carlton holds all the aces. The Blues have the No1 pick in next month's draft and are unlikely to trade it for Chris Judd, despite the West Coast star saying he wants to move to Carlton. As a result, Kreuzer is expected to become the No1 pick. But yesterday he was unsure what all the fuss was about. "At the start of the year, I just wanted to go out and play footy and as it turns out, it went alright," he said. "I prefer the ruck because you get to go all around the ground and you aren't restricted. I like to run, but it's all really fun, I like playing anywhere. It wouldn't matter where I went, as long as I got to play footy it wouldn't matter."
The Article Merryn Sherwood/CanberraTimes/04Oct07

Lads await draft fate
When you grow up wanting to play AFL football, you grow up wanting to play AFL football. "You don't really care if you have to go to another place to do it," explained Matthew Kreuzer yesterday. "The only thing is that you do get to do it. I'd go anywhere in the world, as long as I got to play footy there." For the hundreds of hopefuls who put their names forward each November, the draft is about uncertainty. Only after an extremely long wait, in the second that their name is called, do the country's best young footballers know the location of their life-long dream. But each season, a small number of players separate themselves from the rest of the group and, as the bottom part of the ladder takes shape in the last part of the season, have at least a sense of which state they will end up in. So Chris Judd's decision to move home to Melbourne has made uncertain times even more interesting for Kreuzer, his Northern Knights teammate Trent Cotchin and a cluster of West Australians who, having spent all season getting used to the thought of moving, might be able to stay.
The Article Emma Quayle/RealFooty/04Oct07

Selwood's season rare for a rookie: Sheehan
AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan has warned against expecting a Joel Selwood like first-year performance from any of the future draftees at the 2007 national draft camp at the AIS today. As the 79 athletes for this year's camp arrived in Canberra yesterday, Sheehan said Selwood's season - where he earned the AFL Rising Star award and only missed one match on his way to a premiership with Geelong - would be a rarity. "There are very few that play like Joel Selwood play and have such a dominant year, [Carlton's] Bryce Gibbs had a great year for a boy a year younger than Selwood as well," Sheehan said. "[Next year] I think you find that most of them drafted will get a taste of it, maybe half of them will get a taste, maybe eight or nine games, but they get a feel for the standard, but they are really given three or four years to develop. These players will be players of the future, but to have a Selwood type year, I think that's a bit of a rarity." Much-hyped Victorian ruckman Matthew Kreuzer and his Northern Knights teammate Trent Cotchin, West Australians Cale Morton and Rhys Palmer, South Australian Brad Ebert and Selwood's younger brother Scott will be among the standouts at the draft camp in Canberra. Around 100 officials from each of the 16 AFL clubs will attend the camp, including every senior coach.
The Article Merryn Sherwood/CanberraTimes/03Oct07

WA boys coached on draft camp drill
Western Australia's best young players will arrive in Canberra totally prepared for this week's AFL draft camp after the WAFC organised four training sessions so they could gain experience in the tests. WAFC co-ordinator of coaching and talent, Karl Pirrottina, said the 17 teenagers selected to attend the camp had trained together and practised tests such as the shuttle run, vertical leap, 20m sprint and agility runs at the University of Western Australia. Several members of WA's winning team from the under-18 national championships are expected to be early selections at this year's draft, and Pirrottina said the WAFC wanted to make sure all of the players were perfectly prepared.

WA's draft camp invitees: Simon Starling, Matthew Debour, Patrick McGinnity, Cale Morton (Claremont), Rhys Palmer, Chris Masten (East Fremantle), Tayte Pears, Luke Sampey (East Perth), David Myers, Chris Mayne, Cruize Garlett (Perth), Jarrhan Jacky, David Gourdis (Subiaco), Peter Bonney, Alex Rance, Tony Notte (Swan Districts), Steven Browne (West Perth).
The Article Craig O'Donoghue/WestAustralian/02Oct07

The future is here: NAB AFL Draft Camp
Football's summit has now been reached for another year and already AFL clubs have turned their focus to the future, with the 14th NAB AFL Draft Camp set to kick off at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra on Tuesday. Running for four day, the camp is an integral part of the recruiting process and is often referred to as "the final piece in the puzzle". It allows clubs to watch and assess the cream of the country's best under-age football talent in elite sporting surroundings. This year 79 players will make their way from all parts of Australia to the nation's capital. They will then take part in a range of physical skills/tests, including agility tests, standing and vertical jumps, repeat sprints, the shuttle run (beep test) and a three-kilometre time-trial. Players' height, weight and skinfolds will also be measured. Although these skills/tests are important for clubs, one of the great benefits for the recruiting and football staff is the opportunity to meet and talk with the potential draftees through interviews. Most of these interviews are pre-arranged, although some clubs are so eager to speak to as many players as possible in order to cover all bases in preparation for the NAB AFL Draft, NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft and NAB AFL Rookie Draft that they will grab players in between their set meetings. Last year, 56 players who attended the Draft Camp were chosen in the November Draft.
The Article Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/02Octt07

Saints in the mix for Ruckman
Steven King's currency soared in the space of two hours on Saturday, adding further spice to talks on his future. The out-of-contract Geelong ruckman is now likely to attract interest from clubs willing to offer a two-year deal. Respected former coach Stan Alves says the Cats should trade King, 28, while he has renewed value ... Ricky Nixon said last week he had fielded interest in King from four clubs, and that was before the Grand Final. There is little doubt King will be offered more money to leave, but the former skipper has a strong preference to remain at Skilled Stadium ... Nixon said last night that he had not spoken to his client since the Grand Final. There is unlikely to be any developments on King's future until next week. St Kilda, one of several clubs in the hunt for a ruckman, last night refused to talk specifically about King. Asked if a ruckman was a high priority, Saints football manager Ken Sheldon said: "Like 14 other clubs, we'd say yes. It is the time of the year where all players are up for discussion," Sheldon said. It appears the Saints have already missed out on Adelaide pair Ben Hudson and John Meesen. Hudson will become a Bulldog and Meesen wants to be traded to Melbourne.
The Article Mark Stevens & AAP/HeraldSun/02Oct07

Ebert heads thin SA contingent
As Brett Ebert licks his wounds from Saturday's AFL grand final, another Ebert is set to show his wares on the national stage. Brad Ebert, Brett's cousin and son of former Port Magpies midfielder Craig, is leading South Australia's charge at the AFL draft camp starting tomorrow. The highly rated utility, who captained his state at the under-18 national championships in June and July, arrives in Canberra today for three days of rigorous testing. And it's fair to say, with just five Croweaters invited to the camp, Ebert is the SA tyro creating the most interest among scouts for the 16 AFL clubs. "He's got that football pedigree for a start, he's part of a wonderful football family," AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan noted. "Then you've got the character of the young man, he's captained SA and he's a versatile player for the modern game. He can play as an inside ball-winner or he can play as an outside ball-carrier. He's got good skills and he's strong in the air. So he's got lots and lots of qualities the clubs would like - it makes him an appealing prospect."
The Article Zac Milbank/AdelaideAdvertiser/02Octt07

Shot in arm for young Cannon
Calder Cannons midfield player Ashley Arrowsmith increased his draft prospects with a best-on-ground performance in Saturday's TAC Cup grand final at the MCG. The 18-year-old from East Keilor kicked four goals to help the Cannons to a 50-point win against the highly fancied Murray Bushrangers, 14.20 (104) to 7.12 (54). Arrowsmith's impressive performance came on the back of an award-studded season in Victoria's premier junior football competition. The 188cm Cannon was named in the TAC Cup Team of the Year and was selected in the Victoria Metro side in July. Arrowsmith has now turned his attention to this week's AFL draft camp at the Australian Institute of Sport.
The Article Gareth Trickey/HeraldSun/01Octt07

Big raps for new Rioli talent
Cyril "Junior Boy" Rioli gave his AFL draft prospects a big shot in the arm yesterday when he booted seven goals for the Northern Territory in the under-18 championship match against Queensland at Victoria Park. Rioli, who turns 18 on Saturday, is the nephew of former Richmond great and 1982 Norm Smith medallist Maurice Rioli and former Essendon stars Dean Rioli and Michael Long. He was electrifying at full forward in Territory Thunder's 26-point win over the favoured Queenslanders. The Essendon connection could see the St Mary's (NTFL), NT Thunder and Scotch College product at Windy Hill next season if Kevin Sheedy and his recruiting staff can stitch up a deal. Cyril Rioli's uncles - Dean Rioli (100 games) and Norm Smith medallist Michael Long (190 games) - were celebrated players with the Bombers.
The Article Grey Morris/Darwin/AdelaideAdvertiser/11Jul07

Toyota Rookie Road
Matthew Lobbe
Matthew is 197cm tall and plays centre half-forward for Bendigo Pioneers in Victoria's TAC Cup. He turned 18 in February and models his game on his idol, Nick Riewoldt. Unsurprisingly, Matthew has played a lot of basketball.
. . . While watching our final game, I was trying to analyse the play and look at the scouts to see who they were watching. It's a bit of a lottery, but I'm sure they were watching Matthew Kreuzer closely. He was our ruckman who also played in other positions - including ruck rover and full forward - and he really set a standard. I reckon he's ready for the AFL already and will be surprised if he isn't taken at No.1 in the draft. He's so athletic and skilful but he also has a perfect temperament. He never gets angry or down and he's not arrogant at all. He just knows where he's at. Other players to impress me from Vic Metro were Michael Hurley and Mitchell Farmer, while Country's Ben McEvoy and WA's Nicholas Naitanui, Rhys Palmer and Chris Masten stood out amongst the opposition . . . This weekend, however, I'm back. We're playing against North Ballarat, having won five out of our past six games and looking for a top-four spot. If I have anything to do with it, it will be six out of seven come Saturday evening.
The Blog Matthew Lobbe/Toyota Rookie Road/17Jul07

AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan looks back at the 2007 under-18 matches
Shifter's Wrap
Western Australia (division one) and NSW/ACT (division two) have emerged as the only unbeaten teams after two rounds in the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. They are now in the box seat to win their respective division titles. Western Australia defeated Vic Country by an impressive 43 points on Friday at MC Labour Park to follow up its 47-point win over Vic Metro last weekend at Subiaco Oval to take a stranglehold on the championship. Once again, midfield trio Rhys Palmer (36 disposals), Cale Morton (24 possessions and 10 marks) and Chris Masten (31 touches and nine grabs) provided consistent supply for their forwards. Western Australia's defence only allowed Vic Country three goals in very cold conditions in Melbourne, with Tayte Pears and David Myers leading a well drilled defensive unit. The Sandgropers have only won division one at the national championships twice in its 30-year history. Back in 1985, when the entire championships were played in Perth, a team including the likes of John Worsfold, Guy McKenna, Peter Sumich, Chris Waterman, Paul Peos, Chris Lewis and Scott Watters - who became the backbone of West Coast - won its first title. It was then 14 years later in Brisbane in 1999 when Western Australia saluted again with Paul Hasleby, Darren Glass, Joel Corey, Adam Hunter, Chance Bateman and Leon Davis the stars who reached the pinnacle for the second time.
The Article Kevin Sheehan/AFL/saints.com.au/09Jul07

U18 WA midfield pick of crop
Victoriam clubs are expected to look interstate for the next crop of AFL midfielders. Two recruiting managers at yesterday's national under-18 championships at Casey Fields, Cranbourne, emphasised the gap between the midfields of Victoria's two under-18 sides and that of Western Australia. Melbourne recruiting manager Craig Cameron and Geelong's Stephen Wells said the biggest talking point to come out this year's titles was the dominance of WA's midfield . . . AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan said the strength of the ruckmen and medium-sized midfielders this year compensated for a lack of depth among teams. He said the under-18 national championship served as a preview of what was on offer at this year's AFL draft camp.
The Article Gareth Trickey/HeraldSun/12Jul07

Young stars shine in dismal surrounds
When the AFL moved its under-18 championships to Melbourne several years ago, the plan was to give the best rising talent a taste of life on the big grounds. And to show the recruiters what they looked like there. It is not the league's fault that so much rain fell in the past week that it had matches booted off Skilled Stadium and then Princes Park. Nor is it the AFL's fault that the MCG has not been made available for the past three years or that using Telstra Dome's troubled turf has never been an option. But it is a huge shame that - having started their carnivals on the SCG and Telstra Stadium two weeks ago - the boys from NSW, the Northern Territory, Queensland and Tasmania had to wrap things up yesterday inside a dilapidated old stadium called Victoria Park. There were no coaches' boxes. There was one small scoreboard, minimal facilities for the players and less for their families and friends. Playing the final division-two games there was the AFL's last resort after it was kicked off Carlton's ground, and you could tell. The division-one finals have been moved to Casey Fields today. This comes after the South and West Australian teams made it all the way to Geelong last week, only to be told their games the next day had been moved to Melbourne.
The Article Emma Quayle
RealFooty/11Jul07

U18 Sandgropers new kings of juniors
In past years, two types of teams have turned up to the AFL's under-18 championships. There have been teams filled with talented, draftable players who haven't been able to win games. Then there have been squads filled with less gifted types, who the recruiters have been less keen to see, but who have come together much better and won. This year, Western Australia did a little bit of both. In 2006, it lost all three matches at the national carnival, having entered with the most highly rated team. Still, it had 16 players make AFL lists come draft time. This year, its squad was considered less talented than the Vic Metro line-up, but had eight players make the All-Australian squad and won all three games by large margins. A 77-point win over South Australia at Casey Fields yesterday clinched the title. Cale Morton won the Larke Medal as the best division one player, one vote ahead of teammate Rhys Palmer. After dominating the first two games, Palmer has made sure clubs will keep an eye on him for the rest of the year.
The Article Emma Quayle/RealFooty/12Jul07

Debutants pay dividends
The next batch of prospective AFL draft picks is currently on show in the under-18 national championships in Melbourne. Young guns like Northern Knight's ruckman Matthew Kreuzer and Gippsland forward Dan McKenna could be the next big names in AFL football. Two former under-18 stars to have lived up to the hype are Carlton's No. 1 draft pick Bryce Gibbs and young Cat Joel Selwood. Experienced SuperCoaches know that a punt on an AFL debutant like Selwood can pay handsome dividends. Those who did their research in the pre-season took into account Selwood's average of 23 possessions in last year's TAC Cup.
The Article HeraldSun/10Jul07

Boys glimpse a man's world
Before they start, Clayton Gartlett flings a pair of bright, white football boots onto the wooden floor. Jeff Farmer's signature is scrawled across them, in golden ink. Back in his room, Gartlett has a collection of snapshots to show everyone, too. This time in two years, several members of the latest Australian Institute of Sport-AFL academy intake will be nearing the end of their very first pre-season - league players at last. More will be in their second summer, ensconced and with a debut season quite possibly behind them. A couple will not have been drafted. But right now, these boys are 16 and 17 year olds, who know they want to be AFL footballers and have a healthy chance of doing that, but they are living only on the edge of that world, still trying to figure out what it's really like. Each player was assigned to an AFL club last month for a week of "work experience", and they shared their experiences during their training camp at Melbourne University the following week. They spoke with innocence, but an informed innocence, which made for interesting insights into the job they hope to soon have.
The Article by Emma Quayle The Age RealFooty (Link no longer active)

AFL Commission may get another new face in 2008
The AFL Commission is expected to change again before the start of next season, with the competition's longest-serving commissioner, Colin Carter, looking at stepping down after 15 years. The author of the AFL's 2001 report into game development and grassroots football, and senior adviser to the Boston Consulting group, is due to stand for re-election by the 16 clubs in February but is considering resigning his position. Carter's potential vacancy would bring two new faces on to the AFL's governing body with the league having already appointed headhunters to consider candidates to replace the late Ron Evans, the former commission chairman who died on the eve of the 2007 season.
The Article Caroline Wilson/RealFooty/22Jun07

AFL Indigenous academies launched
The Federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon. Julie Bishop and AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou have launched two AFL Indigenous Academies in western Sydney. Funded under the Federal Government's Sporting Chance Programme, the academies at high schools in Blacktown and Campbelltown, will use sport as the vehicle to increase the level of engagement of young Indigenous people in school. AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou said the support of the Federal Government was instrumental in the establishment of the Indigenous Academies and built on the successful partnership and involvement of the Government and the AFL in other Indigenous programs. "We understand the strength and impact that our game and its heroes have in the minds and hearts of Indigenous Australians and - with the support of the Federal Government - we have been able to expand that impact," Mr Demetriou said. "The establishment of these school-based Sports Academies is about opportunity. Creating opportunities and promoting opportunities for the Indigenous youth in western Sydney. It is also an opportunity for the AFL to continue our long-standing commitment to initiatives in Indigenous Australia that has resulted in 87,000 Indigenous people involved in AFL programs such as the Qantas AFL Kickstart program." Mr Demetriou said he hoped that over time the Academies might produce the next Adam Goodes or Michael O'Loughlin who would go onto play AFL football.
The Article AFL/saints.com.au/05Jul07