Height- 175-177cm
Weight- 74-76kg
Age- 20
Traits- Speed, agility, natural crumber
Disadvantages- Kicking lets him down at times, confidence
Yarran Jaffer-Williams is a young indigenous prospect looking to spark his AFL aspirations back to life. He was a member of the QBE Sydney Swans academy and also represented the NSW/ACT Rams state side. He played primarily for the Sydney Swans Reserves and Sydney University. Jaffer-Williams was a highly regarded Swans academy prospect under the tutelage of now Demons mentor Paul Roos. He came up through the ranks alongside current Sydney Swans players Isaac Heeney, Jack Hiscox and Abe Davis. Due to some difficult circumstances Jaffer-Williams draft aspirations took a blow in 2014, having stopped academy training; virtually giving up his pathway to a potential shot into the AFL system.
Mid 2015 saw a dramatic turn of events for Jaffer-Williams as he was scouted while doing "extra" work for a football segment of a TV show in Sydney. Determined to make a change in his lifestyle and work for his dream Jaffer-Williams packed up his life in an instance and moved to the Wodonga Raiders mid-season. His time at Wodonga was tough, his first game was his best game for the Raiders as a young and inexperienced man trying to adjust to the rigors of country footy. He'd eventually spend time in the Wodonga reserves, regularly finishing in the bests eluding to a shocking semi-final call up to take on Brendon Fevola's Pigeons. Jaffer-Williams left his mark on the Raiders with his very last game as he finished in the bests in an agonizing loss that ended Wodonga's season. Jaffer-Williams had re-signed with the Raiders for season 2016, having not completed a proper pre-season since early 2013 and with very limited football behind him since his Swans academy days, there is no ceiling to Jaffer-William's potential should he be nurtured and built up in an elite environment.
As has been the case with his journey to date, it took another fascinating turn as an opportunity to play VFL football transpired. Jaffer-Williams had meetings with the Frankston Dolphins, Port Melbourne Borough and the Casey Scorpions, eventually choosing to commit to the Scorpions program. Casey senior coach Justin Plapp choosing to meet Jaffer-Williams personally and detailing a plan that would see Jaffer-Williams nurtured and educated should he earn a shot on the Scorpions list played a critical factor in Casey being chosen as the preferred destination.
Yarran Jaffer-Williams has been impressing immensely throughout pre-season. Finishing with a time of 6 minutes and 40 seconds for his initial 2km time trial (top 15), further backing up his run with a very respectable score of 21.5 in the 30:15 test. He solidified his strong results with a time of 11 minutes and 35 seconds for Casey's 4km time trial at AAMI stadium, finishing 4th overall. Still only 20, YJW has high hopes of playing AFL football in near future. 2016 is set to be a developmental year for the young indigenous prodigy as he looks to rewrite the errors of his past and make amends for the missed opportunities driving his burning desire to become the footballer the Sydney Swans had hoped he'd become.