September’s AFL Victoria Young Guns Game featured five up-and-coming footballers who were subsequently selected in either the 2016 NAB AFL Draft or Rookie Draft recently.
The Young Guns Game took place on Sunday September 18 at Trevor Barker Beach Oval in Sandringham, with talented players from the Peter Jackson VFL, TAC Cup or local football competitions nominated to participate.
Calder Cannons key forward Mitch Lewis (pictured) played that day and is now at Hawthorn after being selected with pick no.76 in the AFL Draft, while the following participants were taken in the Rookie Draft:
- North Ballarat Roosters ruckman Rowan Marshall (pick no.10 to St Kilda);
- St Kevin’s forward/midfielder Oliver Hanrahan (no.14 to Hawthorn);
- Eastern Ranges forward/ruck Nathan Mullenger-McHugh (no.18 to Western Bulldogs); and
- North Ballarat Rebels small forward Jamaine Jones (no.48 to Geelong).
198cm Lewis will get the chance to develop under four-time premiership-winning Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson after kicking 13 goals and averaging 14 disposals and six marks per game in 10 TAC Cup matches for the Cannons this year.
203cm Marshall, 21, played all 18 games for the Roosters in 2016, working in tandem with veteran Orren Stephenson and winner of Foxtel’s ‘The Recruit’ Matthew Eagles in North Ballarat’s engine room.
The athletic Hanrahan hasn’t come through the traditional TAC Cup system, instead representing St Kevin’s College in school football this year and playing at junior level with East Brighton.
The versatile 196cm Mullenger-McHugh played 15 matches for the Ranges in 2016, booting eight goals and averaging eight disposals and 11 hitouts per game, while the dynamic 181cm Jones bagged 15 goals and averaged 13 disposals and five tackles per game in 18 matches for the Rebels.
Related content:
TAC Cup bonanza at AFL Draft
TAC Cup 13 taken in AFL Rookie Draft
The 2016 drafts by the numbers
taccup.com.au Draft Watch HUB
Last Modified on 05/12/2016 08:38