Top draft prospects: Rucks

AS THE 2007 AFL NAB National Draft approaches, afl.com.au's Jason Phelan runs through the hot prospects by position.

Each player's vital statistics are as measured at the NAB AFL Draft Camp, which ran from October 2-5 at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. The players are listed in no particular order.

Matthew Kreuzer - Northern Knights, Vic, 199.5cm, 94.0kg, DOB 13/5/89

Honours
NAB AFL All-Australian Under-18 Team 2006, 2007
Morrish Medallist 2007
Vic Metro Most Valuable Player 2007
TAC Cup Coaches Award 2007
TAC Cup Team of the Year 2007
Northern Knights best and fairest 2007
AIS-AFL Academy graduate
AFLPA Mike Fitzpatrick Scholarship Holder 2005
Vic Metro U/16 MVP Award 2005

NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights
Shuttle run - 14-2 (10th overall)
3km time trial - 10:51 (10th overall)
Handspan - 25.7 cm (4th overall)

Kevin Sheehan, AFL National Talent Manager says…
"Matthew has taken giant strides with his football this year and dominated the TAC Cup," Sheehan said.

"He did it all; he kicked goals, he took contested marks, dominated hit-outs and he moves at times like a ruck rover with his speed more like someone at 185cm.

"He can cover the territory, he’s got a great team orientation about him; he plays for his team and works hard for his group.

"He played for Vic Metro and everyone was saying that he was going to come on, but he came on to a greater degree than anyone could have anticipated and won everything from the Morrish Medal to player of the year in the TAC Cup to All-Australian.

"He took all those honours and was totally unaffected by that and presented at the NAB AFL Draft Camp not just as a quiet unassuming young man, but also a very athletic one.

"He’s fairly well proportioned; he’ll get to 100kg pretty quickly I would think. He’s got a wide frame that will fill out pretty nicely and his legs are quite strong as well as through the hips.

"He’s quite capable of playing some games next year the way the rucks are now used and rotated around."

Dawson Simpson - Murray Bushrangers, Vic, 205.9cm, 104.9kg, 17/2/89

Honours
Vic Country representative - 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships

NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights
Handspan - 25.6 cm (5th overall)

Kevin Sheehan, AFL National Talent Manager says…
"Dawson is the biggest lad to ever come to Draft Camp; [Fremantle's ruckman] Aaron Sandilands went to a state screening," Sheehan said.

"The Bushrangers have had a great record of producing big guys; they’ve had Josh Fraser, Hamish McIntosh, Barry Hall and Fraser Gehrig.

"He’s still learning at 18-years-old and 205cm, but he’s doing as much or more as a McIntosh at the same age who has taken probably four or five years to come on to be a terrific player for the Kangaroos, so you just have to be patient.

"Whether he’s drafted or rookie listed, he’s going to take a fair bit of time at that size, but the game now suits guys who are very big with the centre circles; reach is pretty important as Sandilands has proven.

"He’s a willing worker, who is still developing with lots more improvement left in him. But at his size - and he gets around the ground OK - he’s an interesting one for some club wanting a project ruckman.”

Ben McEvoy - Murray Bushrangers, Vic, 200.2cm, 94.6kg, 11/7/89

Honours
NAB AFL All-Australian Under-18 Team 2007
Vic Country representative - 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships
AIS-AFL Academy graduate

Alan McConnell, AIS-AFL Academy High Performance Coach says…
"Ben has played both key position, predominantly as a forward, and ruck," McConnell said.

"He spent far more time forward this year as a result of young Dawson Simpson, who’s more of a ruckman than he is a forward, being at the Bushrangers as well.

"He’s had the chance to play more key position roles than he might have in other circumstances or with other teams. I think that has been good for his development because it’s forced him to play one-on-one football a bit more than some of the other ruckmen at TAC Cup level.

"He is a genuine leader, a very driven country boy from off the farm, so there will be some challenges for him living a city lifestyle, but I’m sure he’ll cope with that extremely well because he’s such a focussed young man.

"His agility and speed will need to be developed, but based on the testing we had on him during his Academy year, which was two years ago now, I think there’s a fair upside with regard to his core stability which will mean he’s able to hold his ground and improve his running technique significantly.”

Tom Bellchambers - Tassie Mariners, Tas, 200.7cm, 99.6kg, 9/6/89

Honours
Tasmania representative - 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships

NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights
Handspan - 26.4 cm (1st overall)

Kevin Sheehan, AFL National Talent Manager says…
"Tom kicked five goals for the Allies earlier in the year, showing his ability as a forward, but throughout the year had dominated and averaged 30-odd hit-outs a game playing for the Tassie Mariners," Sheehan said.

"He played some good senior footy in the VFL, as well as for his home club in Tasmania, so he continues to improve and mature as an 18-year-old.

"He’s in a bracket of a few who are project players and is certainly showing every indication that he’s still on the improve."

One to watch
Joel Smouha - Mt Gravatt, Qld, 196.3cm, 82.1kg, 5/2/90

Honours
Queensland representative - 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships

NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights
Shuttle run - 15-1 (2nd overall)
3km time trial - 10:23 (1st overall)
Repeat sprints - 24.48 (10th overall)

Kevin Sheehan, AFL National Talent Manager says…
"Twelve months ago Joel was playing soccer and decided to have a kick to kick with his mates at school and then came down to have a game and right now he’s a draft contender," Sheehan said.

"He’s gone to Draft Camp and blown them away with his endurance stuff; the beep test and three kilometre time trial.

"He’s shown how athletic he is and certainly some of the flashes he’s shown playing at under-18 level for Queensland - his agility, his marking ability - some of those things indicate that he’s got quite a bit of talent.

"One year into the game, he’s still got a lot to learn and a lot of development in him.

"He’ll be a project player for a club, but that special blend of endurance and that competitiveness he showed in the testing were great indicators that he’s got some potential to play the AFL game."