This year's AFL Draft is beginning to take shape, with a host of prospects who have been positioned on the outskirts of first-round calculations making a case late.
Among the most impressive in-form teenagers who have risen through the rankings is Eastern Ranges talent Sullivan Robey, who made his Coates Talent League debut in June after a stint at the local level with Rowville.
Since Robey has kicked multiple goals for the Ranges in five of his six appearances, with his most recent game seeing him net season-best returns of 40 disposals and three goals.
The performance adds to a purple patch for Robey, who is now firmly in the conversation among AFL recruiters, and has come in at 28th overall in Craft of the Draft's prospect rankings for September.
Discussing this month's top 40, Craft of the Draft analysts Mitch Keating and Jonty Ralphsmith highlighted several names who sit outside the top 25 who are increasing their place in the queue.
Speaking on Robey, Ralphsmith claimed his most recent outing was "the best Coates Talent League game of the year", while Keating drew comparisons to 2024 draft bolter Ollie Hannaford, who was taken by GWS in the first round of last year's draft after being off the radar in the opening months of the season.
"He reminds me a bit of Ollie Hannaford last year," Keating said on this week's episode.
"The build that he took from the midway mark to the end of his year when GWS made the grand final. He ends up as a first-round draft pick.
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"That's what we could see with Sullivan when you talk about the size and the versatility, which is what had Hannaford standing out so much last year for the Rebels.
Ralphsmith said Robey has the "perfect mix of traits" and is "custom-made for the AFL" with his athletic profile and skill set.
St Kilda NGA talent Kye Fincher is another making waves, with his form in the VFL for the Sandringham Zebras boosting his prospects for November's intake.
Fincher had enjoyed a steady campaign to date with the Sandringham Dragons and Vic Metro as a defender, but has shown his value as a damaging midfielder at both the VFL and Coates Talent League levels.
"He's probably always been seen as that natural half-back who is able to force turnovers and really punish teams as that player with a lot of run and carry," Ralphsmith said of Fincher.
"But he's become someone who has got bona fide midfield traits. Going back to Sandy (Dragons), he's been able to show his athleticism, his contested ball-winning. When he got into space, he used it so well going inside 50.
"It just adds another string to his bow, because we know half-back is a position that you can find (comfortably), but someone who has that natural midfield craft and athleticism, and to be able to impact when resting forward has been really, really, impressive."
Also among the 30-40 bracket of this month's rankings is Murray Bushrangers forward Liam Hetherton, who hasn't played since May due to a back injury that has hampered his season.
Once sitting in the top 10 of Craft of the Draft's rankings, Hetherton is shaping as "a bargain on draft night" should he slide into the second night of the draft and eventually return to the form he held prior to his injury.
"He's shaping as a potential bargain for clubs if that is the kind of mark he's at on draft night," Keating said of the athletic spearhead.
"That back injury has played a part in his slide. Clubs that liked what they saw who back him in for the long haul... there's a star there who could be a bargain on draft night.
Eastern Ranges bolter Oskar Taylor, Geelong Falcons talent Hugo Mikunda, Sandringham Dragons ace Jack Dalton and North Adelaide captain Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier are also among the bracket of players outside of the top 25 mix who are making their move late into their respective campaigns.
You can watch this week's full episode of Craft of the Draft below, or on Zero Hanger's YouTube channel.
