A STANDOUT performance has seen Eastern Ranges midfielder Jake Soligo break into AFL.com.au's rolling NAB AFL Draft team of the year for the first time.
With the return of the full NAB League competition last week following the COVID-19 restrictions easing in Victoria, Soligo was back to his ball-getting best with 29 disposals, eight marks, seven clearances, six inside-50s and 10 tackles against the Sandringham Dragons.
It was the best game of what has been a consistent season from Soligo, who has averaged 21 touches in five outings for the Ranges. He comes into the side to replace his teammate Tyler Sonsie, who is set for several weeks on the sidelines with bone bruising to his knee.
There were fears Sonsie, who is predicted as a first-round pick, might have torn his anterior cruciate ligament last weekend after a late incident saw him carried from the field. However he is expected back soon and will likely win back his place in the rolling team at that stage.
Soligo is one of two inclusions this week, with Port Adelaide father-son prospect Jase Burgoyne slotting into the half-back line. He takes the role of Greater Western Sydney product Josh Fahey, who has been sidelined with injury.
Burgoyne, the son of Power premiership player Peter, got a taste of the senior SANFL level earlier this season playing for the Port Adelaide Magpies. But he has returned to Woodville-West Torrens' under-18 side in recent weeks and performed strongly, including gathering 26 disposals and a goal last week against Glenelg.
It followed 37 disposals and 1.2 earlier this month as well. He has slotted into the half-back line, where he played a significant amount of last season as a bottom-ager, where he was the second-highest disposal-winner in the SANFL under-18s (behind North Melbourne recruit Tom Powell).
Among the best showings last week from the regular members of the rolling team of the year were Finn Callaghan, who gathered 31 disposals in a dominant midfield effort for the Dragons, and potential No.1 pick Nick Daicos, who collected 37 disposals, five clearances and a goal to continue his brilliant campaign.
