With AFL list sizes expected to be cut and no NAB League football having been played this season, it is near-impossible to predict which Victorian prospects will have their names called at this year's draft — but Maher will get the opportunity to put his cards firmly on the table at the Victorian draft combine.
He will one of 46 players — 21 from the country and 25 from metropolitan areas — to attend the Victorian combine, to be held on a to-be-confirmed date pending Victorian Government restrictions.
When AFL recruiters begin examining the Demon talent, Murray Bushrangers coach Mark Brown said they would find an athletic unit with the physical attributes for the professional game.
“He's a really strong inside mid with some top-end power traits,” Brown said.
“He fits the mold of the modern inside midfielder, 185 cm-odd, a solid build and some top-end speed.
“He played last year predominantly with Caulfield Grammar and he won their best-and-fairest — that's no mean feat and gives you some idea of his talent.
“We haven't seen a lot of him at the NAB League level, but what we saw were some real glimpses.”
A former Caulfield Grammar teammate of Maher's — Wodonga's Elijah Hollands — is another Bushie headed to the combine and is being touted as a top-five pick despite coming off an ACL injury, while Myrtleford's Dominic Bedendo rounds out the Murray trio.
While Maher appears slated further down current draft rankings than Hollands, Brown believed he could play midfield in the big league.
“That's where he'll end up eventually, because he's got that power and speed. He'll round out at mid-180 cm, 90 kg, a big strong guy,” he said.
“He's a ripping kid, part of our leadership group this year. It is a shame, like all the kids this year, we didn't get the chance to see them this season, we were looking forward to what he'd give us in his top-age year.”
But given the surrounding circumstances, Brown said predicting this year's draft was a tough ask.
“No-one really knows this year, but everyone invited to the combine is in the frame,” he said.
“It's such a strange year, the guys in South Australia and Western Australia played and got good exposure, where the APS and NAB League kids got no opportunity.
“How recruiters will judge it is impossible to say, but if they're going off bottom-age play Zavier has that Caulfield Grammar best-and-fairest to show what he could do at the school level.”
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