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THE LEADING contenders for this year's No.1 draft pick will play on each other this weekend, with Victorian duo Jacob Weitering and Josh Schache set to lock horns at TAC Cup level.
After last week winning the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships division one title as Vic Country teammates, Weitering will line up for the Dandenong Stingrays on Saturday to face Schache's Murray Bushrangers at Shepley Oval.
Weitering's performances early this season as a key defender saw him set the pace as the nominal choice for the first selection at the NAB AFL Draft, but Schache's national carnival – the tall forward kicked 24 goals and won the Larke Medal – has put him firmly in contention.
Dandenong region manager Mark Wheeler said the Stingrays would start fellow All Australian Kieran Collins on Schache if the Bushrangers' key target lined up at full forward, with Weitering to begin at centre-half back.
But Wheeler did promise the match-up will unfold at some stage throughout the contest with a large crowd of recruiters expected at the game.
"We might just send Jacob out there for a minute at the start so everyone can take a photo and then tell them to go to their own spots. We want to see it happen as much as everyone else. We believe that both of them are great players," Wheeler said.
"I know they've played on each other before and I know Schache's said he hates playing on him because he just doesn't give him an inch of breathing space.
"Jacob's all about his teammates and he said 'I'll back 'Collo' so just put me where you need to play me, don't put me there because you think everyone wants to see me there'."
Weitering and Schache headline what is developing into an exciting pool of tall prospects at the top-end of this year's draft pool, including Aaron Francis, Sam Weideman, Charlie Curnow, Eric Hipwood, Ryan Burton, Harry McKay and Collins.
Collins' form surge in the championships saw him named in the under-18 All Australian team last week, and the 193cm defender has added important run and drive to his game to become a top-20 contender.
Collins and Weitering may play some VFL games in the second half of the season if the opportunity arises, with Wheeler saying Weitering has handled the tag as being a possible No.1 pick with ease despite tiring towards the end of the national championships.
"He's ticked every box. I was really in awe of Tom Boyd and the way he handled himself when the media attention went his way (in 2013), and I think Jacob's done the same thing," Wheeler said.
"He looked tired at the last nationals game, but he's played every game and some big games, he's been overseas with the NAB AFL Academy, and he's doing his VCE. He's going to be a great player and we all know that, we've just got to protect him a little bit."
