Arlo Draper is another South Adelaide product looking to realise his AFL dream in November’s National Draft.
The 18-year-old, who has been rated as a potential top 20 pick, suffered an AC joint injury in an Under-19 curtain raiser against Western Australia on Grand Final day, meaning he faces an interrupted first AFL pre-season.
Draper played two games for the Panthers at SANFL level and represented the club at reserves and Under-18 level, averaging 24.4 disposals and 6.6 clearances in the latter.
AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan says the 185cm midfielder has some “exciting attributes” and “mercurial-type ability”.
“Arlo Draper’s an interesting one,” Sheehan told SEN SA’s Kymbo and The Rooch.
“He was a boy I first saw in the Under-16s over in Perth in 2019. He was playing on a back flank and Jason Horne-Francis was clearly the best player for SA that day, and Draper was the second best.
“But then he was injured and didn’t play the other couple of games as I recall. We’ve seen him play some good senior footy as a forward.
“He’s got some exciting attributes and mercurial type of ability, no doubt.”
SA talent Matthew Roberts has also been touted as a top 20 draft prospect having impressed for the Panthers in the SANFL in the latter part of the season.
“I think he (Roberts) was their (SA’s) best player in the representative matches they played this year,” Sheehan said.
“He’s your safe bet. He’s a bit like Luke Dunstan, another boy from SA who has just been traded from St Kilda to Melbourne, a left footer who is a strongly built contested ball winner.
“Young Matty can get forward as he did in that Prelim Final where Jason Horne-Francis played so well, kicked a couple of goals in that game.
“He rises to every challenge. He’s a draftable player I think in the top 25.”
Potential No.1 pick Horne-Francis also plied his trade at South Adelaide this season.