AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan looks at some of the top prospects for the 2019 mid-season draft:

It was one of those Draft moments I’ll never forget. I was sitting among AFL staff and club coaches, a very small audience, for the first ever Rookie Draft in a function room at the MCG in February of 1997.

AFL coaching legend Kevin Sheedy was directly in front of me and turned around on a number of occasions asking those within earshot  “What are Clubs doin ? Why are they passin ? Recruiting’s not an exact science you know."

In this first ever Rookie Draft there were 90 live selections possible with, in the finish, no fewer than 44 passes. Sheedy went on say “if clubs can afford it .. why wouldn’t they give players an opportunity .. you never know who you might unearth!”

That year Sheedy’s Essendon selected Mark Johnson from the Calder Cannons at pick 11. He went onto play 208 games with Essendon and Fremantle including a premiership at the Bombers in 2000. The next year, Essendon had selection 3 and again used it wisely giving an opportunity to Dean Rioli, from the now famous AFL Rioli clan. He became a fan favourite in his 100 games for the Bombers. Sheedy’s message was clear – give players opportunities and fill your list – there will be a player out there who will thrive in the AFL environment  and become a star – history tells us that!

A couple of decades on we are now approaching our first ever mid-season AFL Draft and 307 players have put their names forward. Twenty-two of those have been prioritized for a medical screening next week. But its difficult to know how the Draft will unfold. Will clubs opt for players they have seen already at AFL level who can fill a void in the back half of the year? Or will they select new talent from state leagues – untried at the AFL level?

One Eye-Catcher, for mine, from the NAB League who no doubt will be under consideration is Eastern Ranges slick wingman Cody Hirst. Hirst had his initial Draft aspirations shattered by both leg and shoulder injuries in his 18^th year after showing great promise as a bottom ager under Darren Bewick.

Often major setbacks to a promising player can have a positive impact, making them more resilient and even hungrier to succeed if given a chance. From all reports this is the case with Hirst. Not dissimilar in stature, at a young age, to another Eastern Ranger who became a 300 game Carlton Star in Kade Simpson, Hirst is a lightly built left footer with the footy nous and game sense to make the grade in the AFL. A good decision maker with the ball in hand he’s also courageous and not afraid to stand his ground in front of packs and mark the ball when the occasion arises.

His athletic weapon is his agility, where he has recorded at state level 7.73 seconds for the AFL Agility run – right up there with the best of all time.! His 31 possession best on ground performance in Round 7 of the NAB League in his team’s strong win over the Sandringham Dragons reinforced his potential and continued his consist 2019 form. He also showed his poise and class in the recent Victorian Young Guns game ensuring he is among the 22 being medical screened next week. 

Others from the NAB League who have been eye-catchers this year include Gippsland Power’s medium midfielder/forward, Kyle Dunkley, Sandringham Dragons’ medium midfielder  Angus Hanrahan, Murray Bushrangers tall defender/ruckman Ben Kelly and Dandenong Stingrays medium midfielder Mitch Riordan. All were prominent in the Young Guns game as well, and in my view are good enough to have earnt a chance at the big time. 

The AFL mid-season Draft takes place in the early evening on Monday May 27,with clubs having until midday that day to adjust their lists.

For those given an opportunity their lives might very well change forever !

Good luck to all contenders .