There hasn’t been much going wrong at Highgate Recreation Reserve this year.
Home of the Calder Cannons – who sit second on the TAC Cup table, three wins ahead of third-placed Dandenong Stingrays and just behind Oakleigh Chargers – it has seen some of Australian Rules football’s brightest talents strut their talents.
And with the NAB AFL Draft Combines just announced, 10 Cannons players will get the chance to show their wares in front of AFL scouts at an intensive camp in October. The players had to be nominated by AFL clubs to make the cut.
In the national combine, announced in late July, six Cannons were invited, led by skipper Touk Miller and touted number one draft pick Peter Wright. Also to attend are Paul Ahern, Damien Cavka, Matthew Goodyear and Jake Lever.
The state combine, announced a few days later, added Ben Allan, Jayden Foster, Mark Kovacevic and Reilly O’Brien.
Only Oakleigh Chargers and Sandringham Dragons (both 11) had more players invited to the various AFL combines.
Wright is perhaps the player who has developed the most interest. Standing 203 centimetres tall, his versatility has been a highlight. He has impressed as both a forward – he has 26 goals from nine games in the TAC Cup this year – and as a ruckman, which has AFL clubs excited.
The only player who has kicked more goals for the Cannons this season has been Jayden Foster. Foster, who was selected in the tall forwards group for the combine, has 29 goals in his 11 games. He slotted five against Gippsland Power, and has also been a solid pinch-hitter in the ruck – he had 15 hitouts against Murray Bushrangers.
Miller has gained a reputation as an outstanding leader this season, and he has been catching many scouting eyes. In Vic Metro’s gigantic win over Western Australia he was one of the best with 22 touches and eight tackles, and the boy from Ascot Vale is certainly not lacking sporting confidence.
He is honest about his AFL ambitions, having played seniors in the Essendon District Football League at the age of 15. And that’s not to mention his forays into Premier Cricket with North Melbourne.
TWR Moonee Valley does not have the space to sing the praises of all the prospective Cannons draftees, but be assured the orange, white and blue will be featured heavily come draft time.
