Draft dream not over for state combine nominees

Vic Metro midfielder Luke Bunker headlines the 2016 state combine invites.
Vic Metro midfielder Luke Bunker headlines the 2016 state combine invites.

Following from last Monday’s announcement of the 80 players invited to the National Combine, 100 players from around the country have been nominated by clubs to attend the State Combine.

80 PLAYERS INVITED TO THE 2016 AFL DRAFT COMBINE

Each state will run individual tests, with clubs sent the data to analyse before November’s draft. Similar to the process for the national combine, each club nominated a list of players that they wanted to see test. To receive an invite to the AFL State Combine, players must receive at least two expressions of interest from AFL clubs.

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Vic Metro midfielder Luke Bunker averaged 22 disposals in the Under 18 championships and headlines the list of names that was released by the AFL today.

One of the big surprises invited to the combine is Alex Mastromanno. Mastromanno missed the Sandringham Dragons Under 18 cut earlier in the year and has dominated the APS school boy competition kicking just under 35 goals for Brighton Grammar.

Mastromanno also booted four goals at U19 Level for the VAFA representative team and has kicked seven goals in two senior VAFA games for Old Brighton.

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Tasmania have a sole invite to the combine with Harrison Pearce making the list of a 100. The Glenorchy midfielder has a superb dash of speed but has missed a large chunk of football this season with an injury.

Former Gold Coast Sun, Andrew Boston, who played 16 games from 2013-15 has been named after a dominant season for Southport in the NEAFL.

Dandenong Stingray exciting small forward Sam Fowler will also test and provides a real point of difference in the draft pool. The 169cm player nicknamed “Rat” is the third leading goal kicker in the TAC Cup, with 33 goals this season.

After a strong last quarter performance on Sunday, Oakleigh Charger tall Nick Larkey has made the cut. The utility has played at both ends of the ground throughout the year and will likely be seen as a project for clubs looking for a tall.

Western Bulldogs father-son hopeful Michael Romero will also be there and the Dogs will be keeping a close eye on him. Romero has spent his time at Calder and in the Footscray VFL side, along with playing his school football at St Kevin’s College throughout the season. Romero is the son of Jose, who played 211 AFL games.

Numerous brothers of current AFL footballers have also been nominated with Corey Lyons (brother of Jarryd), Zach Guthrie (brother of Cam), Will Leslie (brother of Jack) and Jamie Hampton (brother of Curtly) making the list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydsBHSU6sDE


NSW-ACT (6)
Jake Brown
Jordan Harper
Ryan Hebron
Lucas Meline
Matt Wilson
Lachlan Tiziani

Northern Territory (3)
Jamie Hampton
Willie Rioli
Rohan Armstrong 

Queensland (5)
Andrew Boston
Daniel Charlesworth
Blake Grewar
Jack Rolls
Max Spencer

South Australia (17)
Tye Bedford
Lachlan Cameron
Mitch Carter
Tom Charlton
Sam Draper
Brayden Kirk
Peter Ladhams
Jackson Lee
Liam Mackie
Connor Noonan
Andre Parella
Toby Pink
Jake Pitman
Steven Slimming
Jordan Sweet
Dylan Whimpress
Lewis Young

Tasmania (1)
Harrison Pearce

VFL (6)
Robbie Fox
Declan Keilty
Rowan Marshall
Oscar McInerney
Sam McLachlan
Tom Stewart

Vic Country (18)
Dan Allsop
James Cousins
Mason De Witt
Pat Dowling
Sam Fowler
Cooper Jones
Jermaine Jones
Kayle Kirby
Jarrod Korewha
Will Leslie
Sean Masterson
Liam McKay
Lloyd Meek
Louis Pinnuck
Reece Piper
Sam Simpson
Isaac Wallace
Callan Wellings

Vic Metro (28)
Jono Aujard
Hayden Blythe
Harrison Bult
Luke Bunker
Harrison Burt
Louis Cunningham
Lachlan Filopovic
Zach Guthrie
Kane Keppel
Nelson Lane
Nick Larkey
Mitch Lewis
Jordan Lynch
Corey Lyons
Alex Mastromanno
Jackson McDonald
Brock McGregor
Lachlan Murphy
Ed Phillips
Cam Polson
Brodie Romensky
Michael Romero
Ben Ronke
Jack Roughesedge
Ari Sakeson
Callum Searle
Matthew Signorello
Lachlan Walker

Western Australia (16)
Bailey Banfield
Tarir Bayok
Darcy Cameron
Brad Fullgrabe
Jeremy Goddard
Noah Hura
Luke Meadows
Jimmy Miller
Chad Pearson
Tyson Pickett
Liam Ryan
Keanu Shandley
Luke Strnadica
Matt Taylor
Calvin Thorne
Stan Wright

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