In the third chapter of Zero Hanger'sย positional rankings for the final week leading up to the 2023ย AFL Draft, we'll be counting down the five best ruckmen on offer.
Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia are all represented in our top five, with each member on this list a live chance of earning a National Draft selection despite the lower reliance on ruckmen at the draft.
Headlined by a Suns Academy graduate, this year's ruck craft boasts a number of tall teenagers who stop the tape close to seven feet and above the 200cm mark.
The new age of ruckman has also led to this year's top prospects baosting elite endurance and/or sprinting skills as well as clean ball use and ground coverage.
SEE ALSO:ย THE FIVE BEST FORWARDS FOR THE 2023 AFL DRAFT
SEE ALSO:ย THE FIVE BEST DEFENDERS FOR THE 2023 AFL DRAFT
Accompanied by comments fromย AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan, here are the FIVE best ruckmen for the 2023 AFL Draft...
5. Vigo Visentini
Position: Ruck
Height: 204cm
Weight: 99kg
State: Victoria
Club: Brighton Beach
The younger brother of Port Adelaide tall Dante Visentini, Vigo comes in at No.5 in our ruck rankings after a premiership-winning campaign with the Sandringham Dragons.
Visentini played 11 Talent League games this year to add to a promising bottom-age season with the Dragons, averaging 20.6 hitouts and 12.0 disposals per game in 2023, ranking among the top eight for hitouts in the competition.
The Brighton Beach product would also make a pair of appearances for Vic Metro at the National Championships and would piece together his hottest run of form after returning to Sandringham, with a 19-disposal and 33-hitout performance coming in Round 17 against Oakleigh.
His 204cm and 99kg frame has Visentini in a position where he's ready to throw his weight around against senior players next year, with any National Draft selection likely to come late into the piece next week.
Kevin Sheehan says:ย A promising ruckman with the size and athletic ability to have a real influence on the play. Was an important member of the Sandringham Dragons' back-to-back premiership wins in the Coates Talent League over the past two years.
