DRAFT night last year sticks in the mind of Zach Sproule. The teenager sat on his couch at home and watched as Greater Western Sydney used all four of its selections on zone academy players.
It was exciting for Sproule. He had played with Jacob Hopper, Matt Kennedy, Harrison Himmelberg and Matthew Flynn last season as part of the NSW-ACT Rams program and is a member of the Giants' academy this year.
It gave a glimpse into what could happen to the key forward this season if the cards fall his way.
But Sproule also spent much of the night hoping the Giants would use a fifth selection on his close friend Lachlan Tiziani, who was watching the draft around the corner in Albury.
The Giants' recruiting team didn't pick Tiziani, and all clubs in the following week's rookie draft also overlooked him, meaning the Giants academy product experienced the other, often forgotten side of the draft: of a hope being dashed.
It was a reminder of the NAB AFL Draft's dual possibilities, and something Sproule will take with him throughout this season as he aims to end the year on an AFL list.
"It gave me a view of both sides. When I was watching the GWS academy boys getting picked I was definitely thinking it could be me in a year, but it also showed me I've got such a long way to go and need to work on a lot," Sproule said.
"I want to make myself as good as possible."
After the Giants' haul of academy picks last season, the club has another batch of local talent they will have first call on at this year's draft.
Sproule, Harrison Macreadie, Will Setterfield and Kobe Mutch headline the pack, and all are also members of the 34-player NAB AFL Academy, which trained in America in January on a high performance camp.
The quartet presents the Giants – and other clubs weighing up their talent – with different options.
Sproule is a 197cm forward with top-end running capacities – on tour at the IMG Academy in Florida he completed the 3km time trial in 10:18 seconds, beating many of the midfielders.
He has grown since last year and is fitter, too, having torn his meniscus in his knee last year and missed the pre-season.
"It means I should be ready to go in round one this year, which will make a difference I hope," Sproule told AFL.com.au in Florida.
Sproule has known Setterfield for many years, with both growing up in Albury. Setterfield moved to Melbourne in 2014 at the start of year 10 to board at Caulfield Grammar. He was 15 at the time but could see the shift would have its benefits.
"I thought boarding there would be a good opportunity for footy and school. It was a pretty big decision, but I had family in Melbourne and it's been great," said Setterfield, who found a bonus of being in the city meant he could go to AFL games every week and study players from close range.
Harrison Macreadie (21) running the 3km time-trial in Florida. Picture: AFL Media
Setterfield has also overcome an injury-affected 2015 season to return to full fitness. The athletic and composed wingman had surgery last year to shave off a bone lesion, but it didn't quite correct the problem.
"I had to go through the rehab process twice before it came good, but I've built up my leg in the gym now and I'm back into training," he said.
Like Setterfield, Mutch has already left home to pursue his broader football ambitions. Originally from Broken Hill, he last year moved to Bendigo and lived with a host family while he played with the Pioneers in the TAC Cup.
The lightly framed midfielder has put on eight kilograms since playing in the national carnival for the Rams mid-year, when he faced many division two draftees.
"It was a huge learning curve for me, playing on the likes of Mitchell Hibberd, Kieran Lovell, Ben Keays, Daniel Rioli and guys who are all at AFL clubs now," Mutch said.
"The contested side of the game is probably a weakness for me, so I didn't have much of a choice but to put on some size. I feel like I've got a bit more of a mature body now."
That hasn't been as much of a priority for Macreadie. The key defender, who impressed on tour with his athleticism and awareness in the air, is seen as the most highly rated of the Giants' academy players. And in a draft that looks dominated at the top by midfielders, Macreadie's size and position will make him an appealing prospect for rivals.
Aside from training with the club for two weeks over summer as part of the AFL Academy's program, the crop of possible Giants have had little contact with the club's academy program since their early teens, but fall into the its wide academy zone.
GWS's hold on the Riverina region will likely come under fire from rival clubs again, but the academy prospects are keeping their minds open about their futures.
"I don't think of us look at the year any differently because we're in the Giants academy," Macreadie said. "We're the same as anyone else. We're all just hoping we get drafted by an AFL club. That's the goal."
