By Simeon Thomas-Wilson, Mercury
TASMANIA’S chances of having even one player picked up in this year’s AFL national and rookie drafts have suffered a blow with the state screening canned.
But how this affects the chances of the state’s draft hopefuls in future years remains to be seen.
Usually the Tasmanian state screening is held in early September at the Kingborough Sports Centre, with many of the 18 AFL clubs attending to watch and interview potential recruits.
But from this year, Tasmanian prospects have to rely on scoring an invite to either the National Combine, the Victorian state screening or being tested individually by the clubs themselves to achieve their AFL dream, with clubs keen to watch how the state’s best stack up against interstaters in the flesh.
“Tasmania can hold testing for its players but that would be more of a warm-up for the combine and Victorian screening like what happens in other regions in Victoria,” AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan said.
“AFL clubs can come and watch it if it’s held but the main testing for the players will now be either if they are invited to the draft combine or the Victorian state screening.”
Only one Tasmanian has been invited to next month’s Victorian state screening – Glenorchy’s Harrison Pearce, who was ruled out of the entire 2016 season following a broken leg in the opening round of the TSL – meaning there is a very real chance no locals will have their names called out on AFL draft day for the first time since the national draft was introduced in 1986.
Although emerging talent such as North Launceston’s Tarryn Thomas and Launceston’s Chayce Jones mean the potential low draft crop this year is generally viewed as just a lull for the state, the effect of no longer having the state screening remains to be seen.
“I’m not too sure yet how this will play out,” AFL Tasmania high performance manager Mathew Armstrong said. “We will have to wait and see.”
But Armstrong did say if the new arrangement was to have affect any Tasmanian players, it would be those seeking to follow in the footsteps of Mackenzie Willis, who last year became the first player since now Gold Coast teammate Aaron Hall in 2012 to be selected straight from the TSL, stemming in part from his showing at last year’s state screening.
“It’s probably going to affect the TSL boys like Macca Willis more if it’s going to affect anyone,” Armstrong said. “The guys who play in the under-18 championships have the advantage of the clubs really looking at them in that period.”