THE NATIONWIDE shortage of draft-quality talls could play into the hands of Claremont bolter Oliver Eastland.
The athletic 198cm big man has registered on AFL club radars in 2018 after rising from relative obscurity to hold down a No.1 ruck role in his first full season at WAFL level.
Adelaide appears Eastland's brightest hope in next week's national and rookie drafts, with the Crows potentially looking to replenish their tall stocks.
Primarily a key forward, Eastland added another string to his bow this year after the Tigers grappled with their own ruck shortfall.
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Thrown "to the wolves" in round four against the WAFL's premier big man, Subiaco's Zac Clarke, Eastland's natural competitiveness came to the fore.
The 20-year-old tailed the ex-Docker around Leederville Oval and tallied more disposals (20 to 15) and marks (7-4) than Clarke.
Although the soon-to-be resurrected AFL player had a narrow edge in hit-outs (21-18) and booted two goals, the marquee Thursday night clash was the making of Eastland as a ruckman.
"We just thought Zac Clarke, the way he moves around the ground, we just need someone a bit mobile to go with him, and threw him (Eastland) to the wolves, so to speak, and he was just exceptional that day," Claremont football manager Kepler Bradley told AFL.com.au.
"He certainly matched it with him in his first game in the ruck and we thought, 'Wow'.
"He might be a bit undersized but the way he competes and the way he goes about it really held him in good stead and he was outstanding for us.
"I think he got a couple of Sandover (Medal) votes and never looked back from then."
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Hawthorn has monitored Eastland, but it is understood Adelaide has kept close tabs on the Scotch College product since early in the season.
The Crows are tested for ruck depth behind Sam Jacobs (31 next April), while pinch-hitter Josh Jenkins turns 30 in February.
Raw 202cm tall Reilly O'Brien is Adelaide's succession plan for Jacobs, while Elliott Himmelberg, who is the same size as Eastland but eight kilograms heavier at 94kg, debuted in round 23.
The Crows are keeping their options open after delisting back-up tall Harry Dear and untried ruckman Paul Hunter, who they might redraft, and losing versatile forward Mitch McGovern to Carlton.
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Bradley, the ex-Bomber and Docker, coached Eastland at reserves level and has seen enough to think he would blossom as a forward-ruck if a club gives him a chance.
"(The ruck shortage) certainly gives him hope," Bradley said.
"I don't see a lot of big guys around who read it the way he does. On top of that he's got the agility and ability to cover the ground, and he just gets to contests.
"The way he competes … he rarely gets beaten. His second, third effort for a big bloke is outstanding. His skills are just a bonus – his kicking is pretty good for a big fella.
"In the longer term, he'd be a centre half-forward and go really, really well.
"In terms of his personality, he gets a big tick there. He actually doesn't realise how good he is and how well he plays his role in the team.
"He's just a kid who rocks up, plays footy and tries his hardest."
Eastland likens his playing style to West Coast premiership tall Nathan Vardy, and averaged 15.5 disposals, four marks and 28 hit-outs in 15 League games this year.
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He was invited to the WA draft combine – where he produced respectable Yo-Yo (20.4), 20m sprint (3.05 seconds) and agility (8.44 seconds) test efforts – and credited a spike in interest from recruiters to his greater maturity and understanding of his body.
"I've grown late, so since I've gotten bigger I've really adapted," Eastland told AFL.com.au.
"I probably wasn't the best player going around. I just got into the Colts 22 (at Claremont) and played every game that year (2016), but was never exceptional.
"I thought a big pre-season this year really helped me, just a lot more gym, really focused on that and got my speed up a bit more.
"I'm a lot stronger and now I can match it with the bigger bodies.
"It would mean a lot (to be drafted). Every kid dreams of it.
"I've put in the work and if it comes through I'll be pretty happy, but if not I'll go back to Claremont and work my butt off."
