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AFL’s next crop of stars are ready for lift-off

Aaron Francis is tipped to end up at the Bombers. Photo: Getty

Aaron Francis is tipped to end up at the Bombers. Photo: Getty

Thin, shallow, weak – yep, it’s another AFL National Draft.

And wouldn’t you know it, analysts feel the 2015 talent pool doesn’t run particularly deep.

But, as usual, the first round looks to be peppered with young men who’ll give supporters of their new clubs hope of a brighter future.

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The top two players who will be selected in Tuesday’s draft look certain to be tall timber from the National Under-18 Championship-winning Vic Country side.

Key defender Jacob Weitering is widely tipped to be taken by Carlton at pick one, and the Blues could desperately use his 195cm, 90kg frame to shore up that back half.

Larke medallist Josh Schache looks a likely type. Photo: Getty

Larke medallist Josh Schache looks a likely type. Photo: Getty

Weitering’s Vic Country teammate and Larke medallist Josh Schache should be heading north to Brisbane with the second selection.

Schache is another big unit, and at 199cm he caught everyone’s eye at the under-18s carnival with 24 goals in six games, including a bag of eight against WA.

From there, things get very interesting.

Melbourne have the third pick, and are tipped to bid for Sydney Swans academy product Callum Mills.

Sydney are expected to match the bid and take Mills with pick three, and would then have to give up their first pick (33) and have their next couple of picks fall lower.

Click here for a full explanation on how the bidding system works, or if you’re having trouble sleeping.

Other players the Dees have their eyes on are Murray Bushrangers midfielder Clayton Oliver, and it would be hard to go past another Vic Country standout in Darcy Parish, an onballer who caught the eye during the carnival.

Should the Dees opt for Oliver, Parish could end up at Essendon, and the Bombers are also keen on South Australian key defender Aaron Francis.

The Bombers have picks four and five, and were keen on Charlie Curnow.

But the Geelong Falcons forward’s arrest for allegedly refusing a breath test throws the next phase of the draft into the unknown.

Charlie Curnow should still be a first-round pick, despite his arrest. Photo: Getty

Charlie Curnow should still be a first-round pick, despite his arrest. Photo: Getty

Will the indiscretion be written off as youthful hijinks, or will it genuinely turn clubs off?

In 2010, Jack Darling – who’d been thought of as a potential top-five pick earlier in the year – slid all the way to 26 after being involved in a nightclub fight and getting suspended from school.

At 191cm and 95kg, even Curnow and Darling’s dimensions are roughly the same.

Our feeling is that Curnow could still end up at the True Value Solar Centre, although he may need to get some cab charges written into his contract.

After Parish and Mills, the best of the onballers is GWS academy’s Jacob Hopper, who was thought to be a top-two pick earlier in the year.

Key forwards Sam Weideman and Harry McKay are next in line, with the Demons looking at the former to ride shotgun with Jesse Hogan in the attacking 50, leaving McKay potentially for Carlton.

Midfielder Matthew Kennedy could be a bolter, in much the same way Stephen Hill shot up the order late in 2008 to be taken with pick three.

Gold Coast are reported to be weighing up South Fremantle speedster Callum Ah Chee and Central Districts’ Wayne Milera with pick 6.

Daniel Rioli reckons he has his uncle Cyril covered for pace. Photo: Getty

Daniel Rioli reckons he has his uncle Cyril covered for pace. Photo: Getty

Daniel Rioli is a potential first-rounder and is on the radar of the Tigers at pick 12, although there is a chance he could join his uncle Cyril at Hawthorn, who have picks 15 and 18.

Lively half-forward Ryan Burton‘s prospects are difficult to assess, as he’s spent almost a year-and-a-half on the sidelines with serious knee and leg injuries.

Nevertheless, there are enough raps on the South Australian to see him a very likely first-round chance, along with Sandringham Dragons utility Harley Balic, speedy half-back Darcy Tucker and Northern Knights half-forward Jade Gresham.

So while the talent pool has been hailed as shallow, that won’t bother the roughly 80 or so young men who’ll find themselves a new employer on Tuesday night.

Their dreams are just beginning.

The names to know ahead of the 2015 AFL National Draft

JACOB WEITERING

DOB: 23/11/97

Tall defender

Certain to go to Carlton with the No.1 pick. Massive wraps on Weitering, with AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan saying the backman’s running ability is equivalent to Chris Judd at the same age.

JOSH SCHACHE

DOB: 21/8/97

Key forward

The son of former Brisbane player Laurence Schache is set to go to the Lions with the No.2 selection. A strong mark and an accurate left-foot kick makes him an obvious prospect as Brisbane rebuilds.

Callum Mills could the first player lured via the AFL's new bidding system. Photo: Getty

Callum Mills could the first player taken via the AFL’s new bidding system. Photo: Getty

CALLUM MILLS

DOB: 2/4/97

Midfielder

Likely to be the first player to come under the new live bidding system at the draft. Melbourne will probably nominate the Swans academy graduate at No.3 and Sydney will match that bid. A ready-made senior player.

DARCY PARISH

DOB: 25/7/97

Midfielder

If Parish is not the best-credentialled midfielder in this year’s draft, he’s among the top few. The Geelong Falcons young gun secured his second All-Australian selection at the under-18 nationals.

CHARLIE CURNOW

DOB: 3/2/97

Midfielder/key forward

In the headlines for all the wrong reasons last week when he was arrested after allegedly refusing to take a breath test. A likely top-10 selection, but will the off-field drama affect what clubs think of him? The popular comment about the younger brother of Carlton’s Ed is “contested beast”.

SAM WEIDEMAN

DOB: 26/6/97

Key forward

The grandson of Collingwood great Murray Weideman is clearly a talent, but he has been sidelined for several months with an ankle stress fracture.

Aaron Francis is tipped to end up at the Bombers. Photo: Getty

Aaron Francis is tipped to end up at the Bombers. Photo: Getty

AARON FRANCIS

DOB: 10/8/97

Key position player

Faded towards the end of the season, but still impressed at the national under-18 championships and for local side West Adelaide. A very strong mark who can play in a variety of positions.

HARRY AND BEN MCKAY

DOB: 24/12/97

Key position players

The twins from Gippsland should go high in the draft. Ben has emerged as a bolter with strong form late in the season.

BAILEY RICE

DOB: 10/2/97

Utility (defender/midfielder)

Rice is eligible to go to Carlton and St Kilda under the revised father-son system because his dad Dean played 100 games for the two clubs. He has chosen the Saints.

First-round selection order (any live bids on the night will affect this)

1. Carlton
2. Brisbane
3. Melbourne
4. Essendon
5. Essendon
6. Gold Coast
7. Melbourne
8. Carlton
9. Adelaide
10. GWS
11. Carlton
12. Richmond
13. Adelaide
14. St Kilda
15. Hawthorn
16. Gold Coast
17. North Melbourne
18. Hawthorn
19: Carlton (on-traded compensation pick)

– with AAP

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