126 hopeful AFL prospects have taken part in the 2021 Draft Combine over recent weeks ahead of November's National Draft.
This year's combine has seen talented teenagers across the nation undergo testing in their home states, while Vic Metro, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory prospects have been forced to have most of their testing put on hold*.
The recent results have seen a number of familiar names, father-son prospects and NGA Academy graduates record strong results in the build-up to the National Draft as talent and recruitment scouts take further notice.
*Vic Metro, NSW and ACT talents were only able to be tested for the 2km time-trial via Strava, with the AFL looking to resume full testing for players from these regions in the coming weeks.
All results via AFL Talent and VFL/W Media Manager Will Carter.
2km Time-Trial
Bendigo Pioneers prospect Cooper Hamilton led the way for the 2km time-trial, finishing 10 seconds ahead of next best and fellow Vic Country representative Hamish Sinnott for the mantle.
Corey Warner, brother of Swans young gun Chad, Sam Butler, brother of Saints forward Dan, and Jai Serong, brother to Dockers midfielder Caleb, also featured in the top 10 for the time trial.
NAME | STATE | CLUB | RESULT |
Hamilton, Cooper | VC | Bendigo Pioneers | 5:48 |
Sinnott, Hamish | VC | GWV Rebels | 5:58 |
Knevitt, Mitchell | VC | Geelong Falcons | 6:18 |
Ballantyne, Jamieson | VC | GWV Rebels | 6:19 |
Lohmann, Kai | VC | GWV Rebels | 6:19 |
Warner, Corey | WA | East Fremantle | 6:20 |
Linke, Shay | SA | Central Districts | 6:22 |
Butler, Sam | VC | GWV Rebels | 6:23 |
Serong, Jai | VC | Gippsland Power | 6:24 |
Whitelum, Luca | SA | Central Districts | 6:26 |
2km Time-Trial*
Northern Knights bolter and likely top 10 selection Josh Ward was able to lead the VIC Metro, NSW and ACT pack with a time three seconds under the six-minute mark.
Giants Academy graduate Josh Fahey managed to also pass the barrier by one second, while highly-touted midfielder and Sandringham Dragons best and fairest Finn Callaghan amassed a top 10 time.
2021 Fothergill-Round-Mitchell medallist and Williamstown defender Charlie Dean was also among those with top results.
NAME | STATE | CLUB | RESULT |
Ward, Josh | VM | Northern Knights | 5:57 |
Fahey, Josh | NSW/ACT | GWS Giants Academy | 5:59 |
Long, Ned | VM | Northern Knights | 6:05 |
Worner, Karl | VM | Oakleigh Chargers | 6:07 |
Howes, Blake | VM | Sandringham Dragons | 6:08 |
MacDonald, Connor | VM | Dandenong Stingrays | 6:08 |
Callaghan, Finn | VM | Sandringham Dragons | 6:10 |
Dean, Charlie | VM | Williamstown VFL | 6:11 |
Rule, Jed | VM | Oakleigh Chargers | 6:13 |
Anderson, Angus | NSW/ACT | Sydney Swans Academy | 6:14 |
*VIC Metro, NSW and ACT prospects completed time-trial via Strava
ย Agility
Western Australian prospects dominated the agility testing, with Alastair Lord, Bryce Watson, Matt Johnson and Jesse Motlop finishing first through fourth respectively.
Johnson firms as a top 20 selection ahead of next month's draft and could break into the top 10 with a consistent string of combine results.
Brisbane academy prospect Toby Triffett was also among those finishing in the top 10.
NAME | STATE | CLUB | RESULT |
Lord, Alastair | WA | Norwood | 7.940 |
Watson, Bryce | WA | Swan Districts | 8.006 |
Johnson, Matt | WA | West Perth | 8.061 |
Motlop, Jesse | WA | South Fremantle | 8.063 |
Beecken, Cooper | SA | Glenelg | 8.070 |
Fejo Jnr, Ronald | NT | West Adelaide | 8.080 |
Jones, Arthur | WA | Claremont | 8.189 |
Murley, Cooper | SA | Norwood | 8.200 |
Triffett, Toby | QLD | Brisbane Lions Academy | 8.226 |
Mcvee, Judd | WA | East Fremantle | 8.238 |
20m Sprint
Demons father-son prospect Taj Woewodin, son of Brownlow medallist Shane, came second to North Adelaide's Harvey Harrison for the 20m sprint, recording a time of 2.898 seconds.
The aforementioned younger brothers of AFL names Corey Warner and Sam Butler featured in the top 10 results once again, while Peel Thunder's Luke Polson rounded out the podium behind Harrison and Woewodin.
NAME | STATE | CLUB | RESULT |
Harrison, Harvey | SA | North Adelaide | 2.845 |
Woewodin, Taj | WA | East Fremantle | 2.898 |
Polson, Luke | WA | Peel Thunder | 2.900 |
Stagg, Hugh | SA | Glenelg | 2.910 |
Pegoraro, Noah | WA | West Perth | 2.926 |
Watson, Bryce | WA | Swan Districts | 2.951 |
Hough, Brady | WA | Peel Thunder | 2.960 |
Warner, Corey | WA | East Fremantle | 2.969 |
Butler, Sam | VC | GWV Rebels | 2.974 |
Knevitt, Mitchell | VC | Geelong Falcons | 2.976 |
Vertical Jump
Warner's combine continued to impress at the vertical jump, recording a jump of 76 cm, edging past Suns Academy graduate William Bella, South Australia's Leek Alleer and West Perth's Noah Pegoraro.
Lochlan Paton, Tom Brown and Matt Jonson joined teammate Pegoraro in the top 10, while fellow WA talent Brady Hough snuck onto the leaderboard.
NAME | STATE | CLUB | RESULT |
Warner, Corey | WA | East Fremantle | 76 |
Bella, William | QLD | Gold Coast Academy | 75 |
Alleer, Leek | SA | Central Districts | 75 |
Pegoraro, Noah | WA | West Perth | 75 |
Paton, Lochlan | WA | West Perth | 73 |
Brown, Tom | WA | West Perth | 72 |
Johnson, Matt | WA | West Perth | 72 |
Polson, Luke | WA | Peel Thunder | 72 |
Butler, Sam | VC | GWV Rebels | 71 |
Farmer, Richard | WA | Subiaco | 71 |
Hough, Brady | WA | Peel Thunder | 71 |
Running Vertical Jump
Alleer set a combine record in the running vertical jump, surpassing Kangaroo Kyron Hayden's record of 103cm from 2017.
Warner managed another podium finish, while highly-rated defender Josh Gibcus rounded out the top three.
Johnson, Polson, Butler and Pegoraro also recorded further strong results in the vertical jump.
NAME | STATE | CLUB | RESULT |
Alleer, Leek | SA | Central Districts | 107 |
Warner, Corey | WA | East Fremantle | 100 |
Gibcus, Josh | VC | GWV Rebels | 95 |
Stretch, Jahmal | WA | Claremont | 93 |
Pegoraro, Noah | WA | West Perth | 92 |
McGinniss, Tyler | TAS | North Hobart | 91 |
Johnson, Matt | WA | West Perth | 89 |
Lohmann, Kai | VC | GWV Rebels | 88 |
Polson, Luke | WA | Peel Thunder | 88 |
Butler, Sam | VC | GWV Rebels | 87 |