THE WILD COLONIAL BOY

by Whispering Jack

Casey Fields in Cranbourne was the venue for the final day of the Australian Under 18 Champions and I was there last Wednesday just to watch the footy and to see if I could pick a favourite or two among the prospective draftees who the AFL clubs will be lining up to recruit when the 2007 NAB AFL Draft is held on the Gold Coast during Schoolies Week in November.

I've been interested in this level of football for many years since one of my own sons was a member of the squad that trained together under the legendary Ray Jordan and the late "Nobby" Clarke on the very first day of training for the then Central (later Prahran and now Sandringham) Dragons in 1991. He dislocated a shoulder on the eve of the team's first practice match and never got to play for them but my godson later became a member of the Dragons' team in the mid nineties and I followed them closely for a while. The standard of the TAC Cup competition was pretty high in those days – probably even higher than the standard I saw from the teams at Casey Fields on Wednesday where a lot of athletes ran around in perfect conditions playing a form of basketball on grass in front of a thousand spectators, most of them AFL talent scouts, parents, family friends and interested onlookers.

There was of course an exception to the rule about the standard of the teams and that was the West Australians – they were head and shoulders above the South Australians and dominated them as they did the Victorian Metro and the Victorian Country teams before them. Needless to say, when the All Australian Under 18 team for the championships was read out, the Sandgropers dominated as well providing eight out of 22 and that was after leaving quite a few who were unlucky to miss out. Between the two Victorian teams there were seven All Australians while South Australia provided only one player. The rest came from three of the Division Two states with last year's surprise packet Queensland, failing to produce any this year. Those states had played their finals a day earlier at a different venue and I didn't get to see them either in the flesh or on film this year.

I was watching the game in close proximity to Michael Voss might have had other things on his mind that day in light of the release of certain video film of a late night brawl that took place after last year's grand final. Voss handled a film crew that approached him with the sort of steely eyed firmness that you want to see from a future coach. Anyhow, Voss was there because he's had something to do with preparing some of the players on show when he was an assistant to AIS/AFL high-performance coach Alan McConnell with the AIS/AFL academy squad in 2006-07. He has gone on record as saying that he is greatly highly impressed by 2007 All-Australian midfielder/forward Brad Ebert who he regards as having "the necessary equipment to step up in 2008". So if he gets the gig at Carlton or Melbourne, there’s a possible pointer to how the first draft selection at that club might fall.

I'm not a talent scout and I probably view these games far differently to the way the professionals would. For my part, I was more specifically focussing on which player I would adopt as my favourite from the carnival to be selected first at the end of the year by my team, the Demons. Two years ago, I saw Nathan Jones playing in the middle for Vic Metro and he caught my fancy knowing that Melbourne would be getting a late first rounder that year. It was a fluke that he was eventually was taken at # 12 by our very own Craig Cameron but it gave me some bragging rights for a while – until 2006 when I plumbed for Bachar Houli who was Essendon's fifth selection at number 42 overall. I must admit that James Frawley wasn't even on my radar but I applaud the selection with the advantage of hindsight.

My interest in the draft has of course been heightened during the course of the year because the selections in the draft work in reverse proportion to the way your team performs and my team’s performance in 2007 thus far has been pretty much diabolical. However, while the Demons are sitting second from last, my expectation is that they will climb the ladder by one position before year's end. That's on the basis of my suspicion that Carlton will continue to play as a rabble while the Dennis Pagan fiasco continues and that the Blues will be content to muddle their way through the remainder of the season without winning a game thereby gaining the dubious distinction of being the inaugural charity case first round priority draft pick "winner" under the new priority system. This scenario would leave Melbourne with pick # 4 as its first selection.

The process of selecting my draft "hero" from the games I saw was complicated by the fact that I didn't have the advantage that the experts have of seeing these players in their normal environments during the season as I was only going on one "live" viewing. Another complication was the fact that a few of the most talented players I saw going around are too young for this year's draft. All Australian kids like Nicholas Naitanui (WA), Daniel Rich (WA), Michael Hurley (VM) and Nick Suban (VC) are going to be the headline names in 12 months time but not this year. The same goes for Tasmania’s Aaron Cornelius who I didn't see but who, according to the track watchers, is going to be an absolute ripper.

Still, I was more interested in finding the absolute ripper of 2007 and not 2008. The general view before the Carnival was that two Northern Knights players, Matthew Kreuzer and Trent Cotchin would quinella the draft. Kreuzer, a 199cm ruckman who can also play as a key forward and plays on the ball almost like a midfielder had a good enough carnival to make All Australian. He was pretty impressive against Vic Country with his cat like movement that is so uncharacteristic of a player closing in on two metres in height. He remains the favourite for the # 1 pick. Cotchin, on the other hand, had a poor carnival. Previously touted as a player with Judd like qualities, he was heavily tagged in the opening game against WA and he struggled throughout. On Wednesday, he showed glimpses of ability playing off halfback but was off for the last quarter. The word is that he might have been carrying an injury, that he remains in top five contention and is still probably top three.

West Australia's outstanding carnival threw up a few real contenders who could upset the equation of a Northern Knights quinella on draft day. The most obvious improver in the rankings was Larke Medal winner Cale Morton, brother of West Coast's Mitch and Hawthorn's Jarryd. The 17 year old is a tall midfielder at 192cm and is all class. I couldn't detect any weaknesses in his play which was reminiscent of James Hird. The Bomber champion was a bargain when selected at pick # 79 in the 1990 National Draft but Morton won't come so cheap. He is certain to push his way into the top three and could even go at number one - he's that good!

Well, that's the top three at the moment but if Melbourne is to collect pick # 4 at the November Draft, then I have to look further for my draft "hero" who will come from the following players:-

• Ben McEvoy - like Kreuzer, he stands at 199cm and plays ruck, is mobile and could also play in a key position. On the day, he marked more strongly than Kreuzer and, though I was told he looked tired after a hard, tough slog in the mud on the previous Friday, he appeared to me to be getting stronger as the game went on. He's a bit like St. Kilda’s Justin Koschitzke (when he’s playing well) but tougher.

• Brad Ebert - a tough midfielder with polish who comes from the famous SA footballing family. Ebert was one of the few prospects who showed anything in SA's capitulation to WA.

• Chris Masten - one of WA's ball magnet midfielders, Masten is a hard worker and already a leader having captained his state to the Teal Cup victory.

For the moment however, I have to stick with Ben McEvoy who hails from Kelly Country. His name reminds me of the words of that immortal Aussie classic about a famous bushranger who gets fixed up by a judge of the same name. The McEvoys might have been on the right side of the law but this young fellow is my wild colonial boy for 2007. [KEVIN SHEEHAN AGREES]

AFL NATIONAL UNDER 18 CHAMPIONSHIPS

DIVISION 1

Western Australia 15.16.106 defeated Vic Metro 8.10.58

Goals

WA Palmer 5 Ellard Jacky Sampey Yarran 2 Garlett Morton

Vic Metro Maric 3 Grimes 2 Kreuzer Meredith Sullivan

Best

WA Palmer McGinnity Morton Starling Pears Ellard.

Vic Metro Kreuzer Hurley Farmer Simpson Sullivan Lobbe

at Subiaco Oval (June 30)

South Australia 17. 10 (112) defeated Vic Country 9.8 (62)

Goals

SA Wright 4 Hartlett 3 Carr Jesson 2 Broadbent Ebert Hicks Millar Stable White

Vic Country Kay 3 Blaser Hockey McKenna Michaelides Normington Steven

Best

SA Greenwood Stable Petrenko Ebert Blesing Wright Walsh Fairclough

Vic Country McKenna Kangars Hockey Suban Kay Curnow

At AAMI Stadium (July 1)

Western Australia 9.14.68 defeated Vic Country 3.7.25

Goals

WA Ellard Masten Morton 2 Garlett Palmer Yarran

Vic Country Bell Hobbs McKenna

Best

WA Palmer Pears Myers Masten Garlett Morton Rich

Vic Country Hobbs Suban Selwood Austin McEvoy Hinkley

at MC Labour Park (July 6)

Vic Metro 7.7.49 defeated South Australia 3.5.23

Goals

Vic Metro Potts 4 DeBruin Grant Maric

SA Holmes Staple White

Best

Vic Metro Farmer Polkinghorne Potts Kreuzer Hurley Grimes

SA McNamara Day Broadbent Greenwood Ebert Blesing

at MC Labour Park (July 6)

Vic Metro 17.8.110 defeated Vic Country 9.8.62

Goals

Vic Metro Maric 4 Grant Grimes 3 Arrowsmith Cattapan Daniher Kreuzer Polkinghorne Potts Simpson

Vic Country Gaylor 3 Kay 2 Ford Hall Normington Selwood

Best

Vic Metro Hurley Simpson Cattapan Farmer Grimes Kreuzer Maric

Vic Country McEvoy Suban Austin Curnow Kangars Normington Selwood

at Casey Fields (July 11)

Western Australia 20.11.131 defeated South Australia 8.6.54

Goals

WA Gourdis Notte Palmer 3 McGinnity Morton Sampey 2 Browne DeBoer Ellard Jacky Yarrin

SA Staple 3 Carr Day Jesson Hartlett Wright

Best

WA Naitanui Browne Morton Palmer Pears Rance Rich

SA Goodwood Petrenko Blesing Day Thompson Stable

at Casey Fields (July 11)

Western Australia won Division One remaining undefeated during the Championships.

The Larke Medal for the Division One best and fairest was awarded to Western Australia's Cale Morton (Claremont).

DIVISION 2

Tasmania 17.14.116 defeated Queensland 13.13.91

Goals

Tasmania Bowden Cornelius 5 Bellchambers Collier Grima Joseph Mihocek Murphy O'Garey

Queensland Stewart 5 Zorko 2 Davis Enright Jones Mulligan Rolfe Savage

Best Tasmania Bowden O'Brien Bellchambers Grima Williams Cornelius.

Queensland Gibson Stewart Headland Whitecross Daye.

at SCG. (June 23)

NSW/ACT 20.11.131 defeated Northern Territory 12.11.83

Goals

NSW/ACT Walker 5 McGregor 4 McIntyre 3 Colvin Davis 2 Cleaver Davies Drum Terlich

NT Rolfe 3 Stokes Motlop Campbell Calma-Holt Farmer Fittock Oliver C Rioli Shannon Rioli

Best

NSW/ACT McGregor Bird Wilson Woods Davis Overs.

NT Fittock Oliver Sharples C Rioli Snowdon Stokes.

at Telstra Stadium (June 23)

Northern Territory 13.12.90 defeated Tasmania 5.15.45

Goals

NT Rolfe 4 Whitehurst 3 Motlop 2 Calma-Holt Phoenix Shannon Rioli Talbot

Tasmania Bowden 2 McShane O’Garey Rohizat

Best

NT Wonaeamirri C Rioli Fittock Liddle Rolfe Motlop Stokes

Tasmania Williams Bowden Joseph Murphy Sheean Collier

at Skilled Stadium (July 5)

NSW/ACT 15.19.109 defeated Queensland 7.5.47

Goals

NSW/ACT Bird McGregor McIntyre 3 Breust 2 Armstrong Davies Terlich Walker

Queensland Daye Fewkes Magin Mulligan Spackman Whitecross Zorko

Best

NSW/ACT Ediriwickrama Davies Drum Bruce Breust Bird

Queensland Gibson Mulligan Zorko Pantic Headland

at Skilled Stadium (July 5)

Northern Territory 17.9.111 defeated Queensland 12.13.85

Goals

NT C Rioli 7 Rolfe Whitehurst 4 Motlop Stewart Rioli

Queensland Zorko 3 Magin Mulligan Stewart 2 Enright Fewkes Hill

Best

NT Oliver C Rioli Wonaeamirri Liddle Rolfe Sharples Whitehurst

Queensland Zorko Gibson Stewart Brittain Headland Reid

at Victoria Park Collingwood (July 10)

NSW/ACT 20.13.133 defeated Tasmania 13.14.92

Goals

NSW/ACT McGregor 3 Breust Colvin Davies Davis Ediriwickrama Terlich 2 Bird Reed Stroobants Walker Wilson

Tasmania Bowden Shade Cornelius Shade 2 Collier Hewitt Hislop Joseph Mihocek O’Garey Salter

Best

NSW/ACT Bird Ediriwickrama Breust McGregor Reed Davies Cleaver

Tasmania Joseph Salter Cornelius Bowden Collier Bellchambers

at Victoria Park, Collingwood (July 10)

NSW-ACT won Division Two remaining undefeated during the Championships

The Hunter Harrison Medal for the Division Two best and fairest was awarded to Craig Bird (Nelson Bay, NSW).

THE NAB MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS

Vic Metro - Matthew Kreuzer

Vic Country - Nick Suban

South Australia - Levy Greenwood

Western Australia - Rhys Palmer

Tasmania - Aaron Joseph

Queensland - Dayne Zorko

Northern Territory - Austin Wonaeamirri

NSW/ACT - Craig Bird

2007 UNDER 18 ALL-AUSTRALIA TEAM

Defenders Nick Suban (Vic Country) Michael Hurley (Vic Metro) Alex Rance (Western Australia) Scott Selwood (Vic Country) Tom Collier (Tasmania) David Myers (Western Australia)

Midfielders Daniel Rich (Western Australia) Rhys Palmer (Western Australia) Cale Morton (Western Australia) Matthew Kreuzer (Vic Metro) Craig Bird (NSW/ACT) Chris Masten (Western Australia)

Forwards Brad Ebert (South Australia) Ben McEvoy (Vic Country) Jack Grimes (Vic Metro) Addam Maric (Vic Metro) Aaron Cornelius (Tasmania) Cyril Rioli (Northern Territory)

Interchange Nick Naitanui (Western Australia) Aaron Joseph (Tasmania) Patrick McGinnity (Western Australia) Taylor Walker (NSW/ACT)

Coach Gerard McNeill

Assistant Coach Danny Stevens