DOB: 21/04/94
Height: 183cm
Weight: 85kg
Club: Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country
Bio: Medium midfielder/forward who is super competitive and has a good understanding of the game. Has an unrelenting work ethic and presence around stoppages. Uses the ball well and attacks the footy. Played for Vic Country at Under-18s level in 2011 and 2012, but was restricted by injury this year. Member of the AIS-AFL Academy in 2011/12.
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Upside: Pongracic is a strong-bodied player who had his season interrupted by a nagging hip injury. After spending a week training at Collingwood in the pre-season through the AIS-AFL Academy program, Pongracic returned to the Dandenong Stingrays with the complaint and struggled with it for a lot of the year. When up and going, the half-forward can move into the midfield, where his solid body and physical presence is used to split packs and win contested possessions. Reads the play well and is a fierce tackler, too. He's also not without some class, showing clean hands in marking contests and on the lead, and an ability to kick goals. He booted 16 goals in 11 appearances this year.
"He's a very talented footballer inside the contest, and is clean over his head. Through his rehabilitation from the injury the idea was always about getting him through to the draft - we gradually worked up his game time in the second half of the year to get him there." - Dandenong Stingrays region manager Mark Wheeler
Downside: His shape has caused some concerns for recruiters, but Pongracic had worked hard last year to improve his fitness and become a bigger runner. The hip injury made it difficult for Pongracic to work on that again in 2012. He's not overly quick either, something that has recruiters digging a bit deeper.
Plays like: Pongracic is a little bit like Adelaide forward Jason Porplyzia in his ability to grab a ball in the air, and provide a marking target further up the ground. His versatility is also something that works in his favour, meaning he can add some physical presence around stoppages and bust through packs.
Draft range: Likely to fall somewhere in the second or third round, and that could be anywhere from pick 30-50. His competitive and aggressive streak would suit a club like the Western Bulldogs, while teams like Richmond and St Kilda might be on the search for another mid-sized forward to boost their ranks.
In his own words: "My season has been frustrating in a few ways [with the injury]. It wasn't something too serious but it was a bit of a niggle and it hampered me for a while. It was really good to get back out there in the second half of the year and play some consistent footy and put a few good games together."
Stats from NAB AFL U18 Championships:
| Matches | Kicks | Handballs | Marks | Disposals | Disposal efficiency | Contested possessions | Tackles | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 27.3% | 3 | 2 | 0.0 |
Follow Callum Twomey on Twitter at @AFL_CalTwomey
