2024 AFL Draft prospects Tyler Welsh and Sid Draper have turned heads at the SANFL's U18 pre-season training testing, while highly-rated 2023 talent Ashton Moir has further strengthened his standing as a potential top 10 draft pick.
Welsh, who is eligible as a father-son selection for Adelaide, is seen as one of the leading names for next year's National Draft after an impressive U16s season with the Woodville-West Torrens.
The son of former Crows forward Scott, Welsh is a key-forward prospect that is sure to excite Adelaide fans in the years to come.
The teenager was among the standouts from the SANFL's recent testing, where overย 370 players underwent an array of agility, speed and vertical tests.
South Adelaide midfielder Sid Draper, the younger brother of Collingwood sophomore Arlo, was one of the best testers on the day, taking out the agility test with a 7.80 second time, while also featuring among the leading names for the 20m sprint and yo-yo test.
The silky onballer is tipped to join Welsh in being among South Australia's leading prospects for next year's class of talent.
"For a bottom-age kid to finish top 10 in three different tests is pretty impressive," SANFL physical performance manager Tom Debenidictis toldย SANFL.com.auย of Draper.
"He's a very well-rounded athlete and you can sort of tell that by the way he plays. He's very quick and powerful.
"Definitely an exciting one to watch."
Debenidictis held equal praise for Welsh, whose explosiveness and scores across the board had him rank elite for the day.
"(Welsh) really impressive," Debenidictis added.
"Running sub-three-second 20-metre sprints is very impressive. Both his agility and running jumps also rank him up there for the top 20% as well. We classify that up towards elite.
"He's another one, sort of similar to Sid, of those bottom-agers that will be exciting to watch."
Looking toward this year's draft crop, none come more exciting than Glenelg talent Ashton Moir, who enters the season as one of the state's most exciting prospects.
Playing as a bottom-ager in 2022, Moir averaged 15.4 disposals, 5.3 marks, 2.0 tackles and 3.0 inside 50s for the Tigers at the U18s level while also impressing during his spell with South Australia in the National Championships.
Debenidictis said the teenager was again among the top echelon of participants at the pre-season testing, supporting his case as a top draft prospect after an impressive campaign last year.
"He's a very well-rounded athlete," Debenidictis said.
"As a bottom-ager last year I think he ranked in the top three for best performers and he'd be up there again this year I have no doubt.
๐ฅGreat to have 2 of SA's most exciting draft-age footballers spend this week training with the @Adelaide_FC @AFL squad. Kane McAuliffe & Ashton Moir, part of the @NAB @AFL Academy program. Ironically both @CrowsAcademies NGA U15 graduates back in 2019 #weflyasone #crowsacademies pic.twitter.com/bumcykVL9Z
— Crows Academies (@CrowsAcademies) January 13, 2023
"He was also a sub-three-second 20-metre sprint, he had a 92cm running vertical jump, 65cm standing vertical jump, so across the board just physical weapons everywhere in his game. It's looking good."
Moir was one of four South Australians to be named in the 2023 AFL Academy squad, joining William Patton, Kane McAuliffe and Jack Delean in the 30-player squad.
