The first name of the 2021 AFL Draft is set to be called out Wednesday 24 November, and Pakenham Gazette sports reporter TYLER LEWIS spoke to each coach of the potential draftees from the area and has produced a full wrap on who could live out their childhood dream across the two draft nights…
MITCH COX (FRANKSTON DOLPHINS VFL/NARRE WARREN)
DOB: 24/03/1997
Position: Wing/half-forward
Height/Weight: 185cm/83kg
Plays like: Toby Greene (GWS)
What the Gazette says: Cox has developed from a stay at home forward in local football, to a scoreboard hitting midfielder at VFL level. After proclaiming he was ‘unfit, overweight with a couple kilos to lose’, Cox had one of the more impressive VFL seasons this year. Lookout for the social media madness if ‘Coxy’ is to find himself on an AFL list come Thursday night.
What the coach says (Frankston Dolphins head-coach Danny Ryan):
“He did the work in the off-season; if he gets drafted, it’ll be off the back of the work he did this time last year, away from the club.
“Hit fitness allowed him to achieve some second-phase running, get to more contests and it allowed him – under pressure – to execute in front of goal.
“He gets his own reward, full credit to him mate, he did a great job.”
Coach’s one word description: Dynamic
Greatest strength: His greatest strength is his ground ball game and ability to break open packs to burst into open space.
Good fit: Western Bulldogs, GWS, North Melbourne, Adelaide and Richmond.
JUDSON CLARKE (DANDENONG STINGRAYS/BERWICK)
DOB: 17/10/2003
Position: Small forward/midfielder
Height/Weight: 179cm/69kg
Plays like: Charlie Cameron (Brisbane)
What the Gazette says: Clarke is an extremely neat operator with ball in hand. All the while being a pleasure to watch on game-day, watching him in ball training sessions would be a delight, with him rarely missing a target. The Berwick junior is undoubtedly going to be a key-forward’s dream if he is to make it to the top level.
What the coach says (Dandenong head-coach, Nick Cox):
“His agility is top notch, his ability to use the ball and hurt teams with his kicking (as well).
“He has pure pace too, he adds another dynamic with his pace.
“He has been touted as a small forward, but he can pinch-hit in the midfield which he’s worked really hard on.
“There are a few assets (that appeal to AFL clubs), not just one, that’s the pleasing thing for Judson.”
Coach’s one word description: Damaging
Greatest strength: Ball use
Good fit: Carlton, Hawthorn, Richmond and Adelaide.
MAC ANDREW (DANDENONG STINGRAYS/BERWICK/MELBOURNE NGA)
DOB: 12/04/2003
Position: Utility
Height/Weight: 200cm/70kg
Plays like: Luke Jackson (Melbourne)
What the Gazette says: There is a lot to like about Mac Andrew, particularly with current readiness for AFL in conjunction with his room for growth. His weight listed isn’t an accurate description at this stage of the season, as he has been putting on valuable mass since the beginning of the year. He is touted to have a long future and one with plenty of accolades once he fills out his frame.
What the coach says (Dandenong Stingrays head-coach, Nick Cox): \
“His attribute is that he is as good in the air as he is on the ground.
“He’s got the ability to get the ball back with his marking power that is only going to improve when he puts on a bit of size as well.
“He could be one of the better players in the draft, longevity wise.
“Once it’s on the deck he can become that extra midfielder.
“Not many people like that come around too often.”
Coach’s one word description: “Is ‘once-in-a-generation’ too many words?”. Versatile.
Greatest strength: Ability to compete in both ground and in-air contents.
Good fit: GWS, Gold Coast, Hawthorn, West Coast, Fremantle, Richmond.
CONNOR MACDONALD (DANDENONG STINGRAYS/DOVETON)
DOB: 13/01/2003
Position: Midfielder
Height/Weight: 184cm/78kg
Plays like: Luke Parker (Sydney)
What the Gazette says: Connor MacDonald has been on the Gazette radar for a long time now, after quite simply dominating from the moment he took the field for Doveton. MacDonald made his debut inside the cauldron that is a Doveton v Pakenham clash, and won the best afield medal. From then on he has barely put a foot wrong, working on areas he needed to become a prime draft candidate.
In recent years he has worked on his running capacity and it has paid dividends, becoming one of the stronger all-round midfielders the Stingrays have produced since the 2017 batch of engine room operators.
What the coach says (Dandenong Stingrays head-coach, Nick Cox):
“He just keeps turning up wherever he plays.
“Whether that bet at Vic Country, Haileybury or the Stingrays, he just keeps turning up and performing.
“If you said to me ‘what is his trait that separates him from someone else?’ it is quite simplistic, but it’s that.
“His inside work is pretty good, his ability to read hands is great as well, and he has the next string to his bow as well, by going forward. He will be a great asset wherever he goes.
“He makes others look better”.
Coach’s one word description: Competitor
Greatest strength: Distribution of the ball inside congestion.
Good fit: Carlton, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Sydney.
MILLER BERGMAN (DANDENONG STINGRAYS/BERWICK)
DOB: 25/01/2003
Position: Wing/half-back
Height/Weight: 188cm/65kg
Plays like: Bailey Dale (Western Bulldogs)
What the Gazette says: Bergman is a coach’s dream; he will play any role asked of him and will certainly does it well. A footballer that lives for the one percenters, the recruiters will be indisputably impressed by what he does when he doesn’t have the football. If he lands on an AFL list, he could potentially turn a few heads in the pre-season time trials with his work-rate.
What the coach says (Dandenong Stingrays head-coach, Nick Cox):
“You can’t buy talent, (and) he’s got it.
“His ability to hurt sides is something that will be pivotal going forward for AFL sides.
“There is a lot like him (at AFL level). He competes well enough to get the ball back and when he gets the ball on the outside, he hurts teams with his kicking, like Bailey Dale does.”
Coach’s one word description: Class
Greatest strength: Running capacity and selfless mentality.
Good fit: Essendon, St Kilda
JUSTIN DAVIES (DANDENONG STINGRAYS/PARKDALE)
DOB: 29/04/2003
Position: Defender
Height/Weight: 194cm/92kg
Plays like: James Sicily
What the Gazette says: Davies is one of the later hopefuls for the Rays, but with his size already as a teenager, he doesn’t have much more to improve in terms of building for the physicality of AFL football. The left-footer is an ever-reliable defender that won’t shy away from any task or opponent handed to him.
What the coach says (Dandenong Stingrays head-coach, Nick Cox):
“He is that in-between size; he has the ability to play on tall and small, because he has the strength and a bit more speed than what people think.
“He is very good at reading the ball coming in, and I thought by the end of the year he was a bit more attacking.
Coach’s one word description: Upside
Greatest strength: One on one contest’s inside the defensive 50 is usually a daunting task for any defender, but it is quite comfortable Davies’ greatest strength.
Good fit: Carlton, Western Bulldogs
JAI SERONG (GIPPSLAND POWER/WARRAGUL GULLS)
DOB: 16/02/2003
Position: Half-forward/wing
Height/Weight: 192cm/80kg
Plays like: Jack Gunston (Hawthorn)
What the Gazette says: Serong impressed in recent weeks at the National Combine through his sheer running capacity. The relative of current Fremantle star Caleb Serong was scintillating in the Combine’s 2km time trial, running a blistering 6.24. To put it simply: Serong is a quiet kid from the states east, that lets his football do the talking.
What the coach says (Gippsland Power head-coach, Rhett McLennan):
“He is an interesting player; he is ridiculously athletically gifted.
“The thing from his football that stands out the most when you watch him is actually his goal sense.
“He is quite smart around goals, he is very instinctive, knows where they are for a guy of his size.”
Coach’s one word description: Potential.
Greatest strength: Athletic ability/room for improvement.
Good fit: Fremantle and Geelong.
JOSIAH KYLE (DANDENONG STINGRAYS/FRANKSTON BOMBERS/ST KILDA NGA)
DOB: 31/07/2003
Position: Small forward
Height/Weight: 182cm/72kg
Plays like: Charlie Cameron
What the Gazette says: Definitely a footballer that can fill the highlight reel. Like many didn’t benefit from a long break in the middle of the season after a somewhat slow start, but his goal sense and ability to turn on a dime is something that can’t be taught. He won’t stuff the stat sheet, but it is his impact that will hold him in good stead.
What the coach says (Dandenong head-coach, Nick Cox):
“He probably has the most talent on our list; he just needs to put it together more consistently.
“He has some traits that are just, unbelievable.
“I think in a full-time system, he will definitely develop.”
Coach’s one word description: Match-winner
Greatest strength: Finishing in front of goal and pressure inside 50.
Good fit: St Kilda, GWS.
WILL BRAVO (DANDENONG STINGRAYS/MT ELIZA)
DOB: 06/05/2002
Position: Midfielder
Height/Weight: 181cm/77kg
Plays like: Joel Selwood
What the Gazette says: Bravo appears to have slipped under the radar after the early stages of the season, but perhaps that is exactly how some AFL clubs want him to be viewed at this point. Bravo trained with Hawthorn over last pre-season and was the Rays’ best chance at a mid-season pick-up, but has been under the radar since. As a mature-ager, Bravo is ready and would fit in seamlessly at any club.
What the coach says (Dandenong Stingrays head-coach Nick Cox):
“He has gained some momentum.
“His ability to compete, he has pace. All the things that clubs love about their midfielders, he has.
“He is Joel Selwood – that is what he – he just goes and goes and goes.
“If he can get there, he will be an attribute because he has been knocked back that many times, that he will do anything, for anyone. Not only to win games of football, but make teammates better and be really good all round.
Coach’s one word description: Bull
Greatest strength: Competitive nature. Likely see it rain in the desert before seeing Bravo throw in the towel.
Good fit: Geelong, Hawthorn.
