The business end of footy season has arrived, and the AFL Draft Power Rankings are starting to stabilise.
With school footy wrapping up after the Under-18s Championships in recent weeks and players slowly filtering back to talent pathway programs, only a handful of new players have emerged on the scene and commanded attention, but there has been plenty of shuffling as clubs gain an increasing understanding of the sorts of selections they are likely to have access to.
Around the mark
There are several players worth profiling beyond just those in the top 45, starting with powerful Northern Knights forward/midfielder Harvie Cooke. He just misses out, and it has nothing to do with the body of work he has put together, with his production as high as almost anyone in the Victorian talent pathway. He's aggressive, breaks tackles and kicks goals and can pinch-hit in the midfield.
Brady Wright leads the VFL contingent this year, having kicked 48 goals in 16 games this year as a contested marking 195cm target. He's all but certain to take out the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal and is quite a good chance to go in the top 45 as a more ready-to-go option than some of the teenage key position prospects. Western Australian Jake Soutar also looks certain to go as a 21-year-old interceptor for East Perth.
Intercept defenders Jasper Williams and Ollie Bartal project as a couple of players who will be interesting to track. Both have built cases for the AFL Draft off the back of strong school form, for Brighton Grammar and Haileybury College respectively.
He won't go in the national draft, but Caulfield Grammar basketballer Charlie Fawcett is also generating interest as a Category B rookie option for clubs to consider given his size and athleticism.
North Adelaide's Sam Tassone, West Coast-tied Harper Banfield, Western Jets' Lachie Hicks and Claremont's Tom Brown are others around the mark.
