Big-bodied Eastern Ranges midfielder Ollie Greeves has got plenty of tools to offer an AFL club, according to Eastern Ranges Talent Lead Danny Ryan.
The 191cm Ranges premiership co-captain has been discussed as a potential draft slider in recent weeks, despite taking out Vic Metro's Most Valuable Player award, and averaging 26 disposals, seven marks and three tackles in the Coates League.
"You hear that noise and you read that, and it's really unfair," Ryan said.
"There's been no games of footy played for six to eight weeks, and yet kids are sliding and rising and all that kind of stuff.
"Ollie had an incredible year, like his national carnival was incredible.
"He's such a unique player, with his strength around contest his ball, uses his elite, and he shown that he can go forward and be a big target up forward."
Entering the season as a potential top-10 prospect, Greeves now has a much wider range despite those accolades, with no guarantee he will be selected on the first night of the draft, as there is a divide about how his skills will translate to the next level.
The concern that has been raised about Greeves' game is his transition running.
The midfielder did not test at the AFL Draft National Combine due to illness, but did a two-kilometre time trial on Thursday, six days out from the first night of the National Draft, and ran it in a reasonably strong time of 6:47 minutes.
While acknowledging his running was an area of improvement, Ryan highlighted both that no player is the finished product entering the AFL and that his ball-use is a rare weapon for his profile of player.
| 23 RANK |  | Ollie Greeves Eastern Ranges Midfielder HEIGHT: 191cm | â–¶+ |
"We talk a lot about some really good players that have come through our program, and remember, a Nick Watson coming through, being in awe of what Nick was able to do at training, and you really look forward to the training sessions, and I think that a lot of the parents did as well," Ryan said.
"And with Ollie, it was his kicking and what we actually saw in the game, is that he could see things that other kids couldn't see, and put the ball out in front, kick it to space.
"There's an argument sometimes he probably tries to chew off too much at times, but that's been his real strength, so you want to encourage it, to keep doing it.
"He can just, with one kick, really open up the play and be damaging for the opposition."
Many believe Hawthorn is a club that could pounce, with the club trading for two first-round picks in an unsuccessful attempt to lure Essendon into trading skipper Zach Merrett.
The Bombers are also interested, having delisted big-bodied midfielders Dylan Shiel and Ben Hobbs, though they may take Dyson Sharp with one of their top 10 picks.
Having long been exposed to the talent pathway, and balancing school footy at Caulfield Grammar with his Ranges commitments, those around Kilsyth have seen clear progression in what he offers off-field.
"He's a natural leader," Ryan said of Greeves.
"He makes people feel comfortable around the group.
"He gets around the entire group like sometimes you can get the top-end talent will stick together and hang around with each other, but Ollie had that real ability to get around the whole group and make people feel a part of it."
The draft will be held on Wednesday, 19 November.
