TASMANIA'S celebrated victory in the under-18 Academy series – after two difficult football years for the state – went much deeper than budding star Tarryn Thomas.
Thomas was the headline act, as he was in 2016 when the Mariners won the under-16 championships, and received the Hunter Harrison Medal as the best and fairest player.
Past Hunter Harrison medallists include Michael Voss (1992), Brad Green (1999), Grant Birchall (2005) and Isaac Heeney (2014).
But most pleasing for AFL Tasmania's state talent manager Jy Bond was that 13 local products – more than three times as many as last year – made the 50-man preliminary Allies squad.
The news follows an infamous two-year period when Fremantle key forward Hugh Dixon was the sole Tasmanian drafted, on top of the troubles with the Tasmanian State League.
"We should get a fair chunk in the Allies considering we won every game, but to have that many boys in is still fantastic and I'm really proud of them," Bond told AFL.com.au.
"If these boys do well (in the Division One NAB AFL Under-18 Championships), it gives them every opportunity to get drafted.
"It helps when you have a bit of continuity, but we tried this year to bring a really positive approach to the squad and (coach) Lance Spaulding did a great job delivering those messages."
Thomas, who turned 18 in March and stands 189cm, is almost certain to end up at North Melbourne, which has first dibs on the indigenous utility through its Next Generation Academy.
The potential No.1 draft pick played predominantly as a midfielder who could swing forward in the Academy series – and kicked 12 goals, with a best haul of five against Greater Western Sydney.
He also illustrated his ability to play as an intercepting defender in game drills during a week spent training at Arden Street in December.
"I haven't seen a much better player than Tarryn, especially over the last three weeks," Bond said.
"He was exceptional at the weekend and the week before at Glenorchy, against the Swans, it was the Nick Blakey and Tarryn Thomas show – and he was fantastic."
Blakey, the reigning Hunter Harrison medallist, could have become a Kangaroo, too, or a Brisbane Lion, as a father-son selection, but chose Sydney as a Swans Academy pick.
North's Tasmanian haul could go beyond Thomas, with 192cm swingman Matt McGuinness – brother of ex-Lion Josh – and ultra-competitive small defender Rhyan Mansell also in the club's NGA.
They join Thomas in the Allies squad, along with fellow Tasmanians Fraser Turner, Baxter Norton, Chayce Jones, Nick Baker, Mitch Anderton, Tim Auckland, Blair Rubock, Mitch O'Neill, Lachie Gadomski and Ethan Jackson.
O'Neill, an inside midfielder, is the only one too young to be drafted this year.
Jones, like Thomas, is an AFL Academy graduate and captained the Mariners as he rounds back into form after a serious ankle injury ruined his 2017 season.
Baker, who impressed as the 23rd man for the Roos' VFL team against the AFL Academy in April, and "running machine" Fraser Turner are two who have rocketed into draft contention.
"Over the past 12 months, there were a couple we knew would go well, like Tarryn and Chayce," Bond said.
"But there were others who've exceeded expectations. Fraser Turner is one of those.
"He's an outside mid, but he runs both ways … his running ability is AFL midfield standard, so he's a bit of a (draft) smokey. Well, not a smokey now – it's a bit late for that."
The Allies squad will be split into two for trial matches against Vic Metro and Vic Country at Ikon Park on Sunday week.
Road to the Draft podcast
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