There is likely to be several Western Australian youngsters taken at the top end of this year’s National Draft.
In many phantom drafts, there are a handful of WA players being tipped to go inside the top 30 and one in particular is coming with a bullet.
Claremont’s Edward Allan put together an impressive finish to the year after nursing a stress fracture in his back earlier in the season, and his form has put him firmly into first-round calculations.
AFL Media’s Cal Twomey gave some insight into the attributes of the son of former Fremantle captain and Hawthorn best and fairest Ben.
“He’s coming with a rush and we’ve spoken about him a bit - Ed Allan, the son of Ben Allan,” Twomey said on SEN’s Sportsday.
“He ran 2.81 (seconds) at the 20-metre sprint at the (Draft) Combine. 195cm inside midfielder/wingman.
“Six months ago he was off the radar because he had a back stress fracture. Played the last six or seven weeks at Claremont in the Under-18s.
“He was 6mins 30 over 2kms, that’s good moving.”
AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan also spoke glowingly of Allan, whose physical capabilities would be attractive to many AFL teams, including the West Coast Eagles.
Sheehan did have some small reservations, however, given that Allan was unable to grace the field regularly in 2022 due to that back issue.
“Just after the National Combine, the best nearly 70 players were over in Melbourne and we talked about Ed Allan, Ben’s boy, being the quickest in Australia, so if you want speed…” Sheehan said on SEN WA Breakfast.
“He’s played just half a dozen games this year. Will they have enough football data on him?
“He had that growth-related back problem earlier in the year so we’ve only seen that limited amount of footy. You’ve got to be careful at the old football analysis which is 85 per cent of the way you play the game, which is the main factor rather than your pure athletic ability.
“He is very attractive but whether it’s too early for West Coast (at pick 8 or 12) or he goes a bit later in the draft.”
Another talented Western Australian is Reuben Ginbey who is expected to go inside the top 10.
The East Perth product starred for WA in the National championships and Sheehan is a big fan.
“The WA boy that has got the speed and all the performance on the board is Reuben Ginbey,” Sheehan said.
“He tested magnificently and was the MVP for WA in the National Championships.
“He would be in the first round in everyone’s estimations. Whether he gets through to the spots that West Coast ends up choosing, we’ll have to wait and see.”
Former Eagle Hamish Brayshaw played with Ginbey at the Royals and believes he has what it takes to succeed at the top level.
“He’s an exceptional talent, but not only that, he’s a fantastic character which a lot of clubs put weight on these days,” he said.
“He is one of the top-notch blokes.”
Ginbey’s East Perth teammate Jedd Busslinger is also deemed to be one of the state’s premium young guns and should be selected at the pointy end of this month’s draft.
“He’s a first-rounder, no doubt,” Sheehan said of the key defender.
“He’s an intercept marker, he reads it brilliantly. He’s grown to 196cm so he’s a lovely size for that role too. He uses it so well on the way out.
“He’s had two shoulder problems this year and only played a couple of national games, but on the back of those he made All-Australian, he was that good in those.
“He’s a lock for a first-round (spot).”
Sheehan added: “A bunch of boys from WA, more than a dozen I reckon that are genuine contenders.”
The 2022 AFL Draft takes place over two nights on November 28 and 29.