Among the 185 hopefuls eyeing the May 26 intake is Strathmerton product Louis Pinnuck, but the Werribee star’s case is a solid one in the sea of players with ambition’s to climb into the top flight.
After training with North Melbourne as an SSP prospect earlier in the year, his bid was cruelly cut down by brow-raising AFL regulations, and the Cobram-aligned Pinnuck has gone to work since then, producing a standout campaign in the VFL.
The Victorian captain is touted as one of the draft’s top prospects after averaging 21 disposals, seven marks, and reinforcing his status as one of the VFL’s most reliable ball-movers in defence.
He’ll be hoping to be the latest mature-age success story of recent times, and a timely 28 disposals, eight mark performance for Werribee in the round seven draw against Tasmania should have him in the eye of recruiters.
Up to 16 list spots could be vacant at the time of the draft.
Meanwhile, Shepparton Swans dynamo and fellow nominee Oliver Warburton was recalled to Carlton’s VFL side after a dominant run in the Goulburn Valley League.
Warburton was a strong contributor in his first State league game of the season, collecting 13 disposals and four marks against Footscray at Ikon Park, one of which was an impressive contested effort late in the first term that resulted in a goal for the Swans’ talisman.
The Blues were 16.21 (117) to 15.7 (97) winners, with Echuca’s Cody Walker continuing to impress with 23 disposals and a goal as he reinforces his status as a top draft pick come November.
Another Murray Bomber, Tom Evans, has also thrust his name forward for the mid-season intake, and was one of Echuca’s top ball-getters in the weekend’s GVL defeat to Seymour with 40 disposals.
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