20 days to the draft: Meet gun prospect Luke Dunstan
Midfielder and born leader who captained SA to the U18 title
HAVING had hip surgery late last year, Dunstan entered the season a little underdone. That didn't matter too much, though, because he quickly came into form for South Australia at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. An accomplished leader who speaks confidently, Dunstan captained his state to its division one title mid-year, having also been a member of the AIS-AFL Academy leadership group.
He played every game at the championships and was named South Australia's most valuable player, an award he shared with Matt Scharenberg. The midfielder went on to play at senior SANFL level with Woodville West Torrens, where he continued to impress.
STRENGTHS You get what you see with Dunstan. He's an accumulator, one who finds possessions, and just keeps getting more. He's good in close, and has the talent of flicking handballs around. Dunstan has a strong body, clean hands and good vision. What he does better than most midfielders is shift forward, where he knows how to find some space and kick a goal. In those four senior games for Woodville West Torrens, Dunstan kicked three goals, had three goal assists and seven score assists, showing he is smart in attack.
WEAKNESSES Dunstan probably doesn't have the leg speed to break away from stoppages. That said, he does tend to get out in space to call for the ball, and his spread from contests hasn't appeared to be much of a concern. His kicking can be a little loopy at times and lack penetration.
PLAYS LIKE
With his skillset, Dunstan is not dissimilar to Melbourne midfielder Nathan Jones. He works hard, wins the ball, and has an ability to dig in. Both muscly types, Dunstan will offer a cool head at any contested or stoppage situation.
DRAFT RANGE In the 20-35 draft bracket. Could go a tiny bit higher if a club really wants him and doesn't think he'll last until later on.
BOTTOM LINE Ready to play and would be expected to see senior action in his first AFL season. He bullocks through, gets the ball and gets going.
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