THE RUCKMEN in this year's NAB AFL Draft look set to be renowned for their athleticism, with three big men running three seconds or under in the 20m sprint at recent national Combine testing days.

Bendigo Pioneers ruckman and Vic Country Academy squad member Aaron Gundry (200cm) ran a time of 2.98sec, while Vic Metro and Sandringham prospect Andrew Courtney (200cm) ran 2.99sec over the distance. 

West Perth product Zak Patterson (202cm) clocked a time of three seconds flat to highlight his speed, with any time under that three-second barrier considered exceptional for a player of that height.

West Australian ruckman Luke Jackson (198cm), a possible top-10 pick in this year's draft after forgoing a promising junior basketball career, ran a time of 6min 41sec in a recent 2km time trial to underline his credentials as a prime tall prospect. 

There were a number of other standout performers in testing across the country in the last month, with Greater Western Victoria Rebels midfielder Harry Sharp equalling the Combine record of level 22.4 for the Yo-Yo test, set by Fremantle pair Andrew Brayshaw and Brett Bewley.

Sharp, a bottom-age prospect, is a national champion in the 2000m steeplechase and will find out in the coming weeks if he will represent Australia in the event.

The Rebels expect Sharp to push for a round one berth in the opening round of the newly constructed NAB League, formerly the TAC Cup, as a wingman who also spends time in the middle, with the 17-year-old continuing to combine football and athletics. 

Sharp's Rebels teammate Jay Rantall, who represented Australia in basketball at under-18 level, placed third nationally in the Yo-Yo test after reaching level 22.1.

Talls over 198cm: 20m sprint results

A pair of highly touted West Australian footballers set the standard in the 20m sprint and agility testing, with WA Academy members Joel Western and Deven Robertson starring at their state's testing day last month. 

Deven Robertson is among WA's standout draft prospects this year. Picture: AFL Photos

Western, a small forward and midfield prospect, sizzled in a time of 2.73sec in the 20m sprint, a mark that would have eclipsed former Gold Coast player Joel Wilkinson's all-time Combine record (2.75sec). 

Western is well-regarded for his electrifying pace and is linked to Fremantle as a Next Generation Academy prospect, as a bottom-aged player.

Robertson, the nephew of Eagles premiership player and current Hawthorn assistant coach Darren Glass, is a standout midfield prospect out of WA and placed fifth in the agility test in a time of 7.79sec.

The powerful onballer was awarded the state's MVP award at under-16 level, after averaging 23 disposals (13 contested), and is likely to feature in WA's under-18 leadership group this year to push his case to be drafted.

South Australian Kysaiah Pickett, the nephew of Port Adelaide and North Melbourne great Byron, also featured prominently in the agility test, running a time of 7.88sec. Pickett is aligned to the Power's NGA and appears likely to be drafted this season.

Kysaiah Pickett, the nephew of Port Adelaide premiership player Byron. Picture: AFL Photos

Calder Cannons teammates Thomas Cartwright (89cm) and Max Simpson (80cm) led the way in the standing vertical jump test.

Cartwright's mark of 89cm would have equalled the all-time mark held jointly by Adelaide's Jordan Gallucci (2016) and Greater Western Sydney's Aiden Bonar (2017) in Combine testing.

20m sprint test

Yo-Yo test 

Standing vertical jump 

Agility test 

Pre-season Combine State Testing dates

WA: February 15, (National Academy/State squad)
SA: February 17, (National Academy/State squad)
NSW/ACT: February 23, (Giants/Swans Academies)
Qld: February 24, (Lions/Suns Academies)
Tas: Feb 23, (U18 and U16 squads)
Vic: March 9 (U18 Competition)