THE STOCKS of two young North Adelaide players are likely to have risen after impressive performances for North Adelaide in this season's SANFL finals series.

Elite Sports Properties' general manager of AFL talent Justin Reid said quality showings on the SANFL's biggest stage "certainly does have a bearing" on a player's draft stocks.

Young prospect Sam Mayes played an important role in North Adelaide's two finals wins over reigning premiers Woodville/West Torrens last weekend and perennial contenders Central District on Sunday.

The 18-year-old's talent was likened to a combination of Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas and Andrew Mackie earlier in the year by Port Adelaide's development coach Daniel Healy.

Mayes collected 18 touches, kicked a goal and set up several other opportunities against Woodville/West Torrens in the Roosters' eight-point win that sent the reigning premiers packing.

He was less influential against SANFL powerhouses Central District at the weekend, but still collected 14 disposals and took seven marks in the 88-point belting.

Top-three NAB AFL Draft prospect Jimmy Toumpas demanded the attention of recruiters with an outstanding performance in last year's SANFL Grand Final, including the ABC's goal of the day.

Reid told AFL.com.au finals form did count on draft day, although he admitted it wasn unlikely to swing clubs when it came to first-round draftees.
 
"It certainly does have a bearing … to perform on the big stage, but at the same time it needs to be taken into context that clubs are watching these guys for 18 months to up to two years," Reid said.

"But it certainly assists [and shows] they can handle that pressure at a young age and perform at the highest level, whether that being Under-18 finals, even a reserves final or a seniors final."

At 187cm, an All Australian as an underage player at the 2011 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships and possessing an elite engine, Mayes certainly falls under the category of 'highly touted prospect'.

Reid said there was no doubt his recent form would improve his standing among recruiters, but that his talent would already be well known.

He said the players who to stood to gain the most from impressive finals form were those who had previously snuck under the radar of AFL clubs.

Mayes' teammate, 22-year-old Mitch Clisby is one such player.

The speedy, 182cm, half-back flanker from Broken Hill, has enjoyed a career-best season with the Roosters and has averaged 26 disposals, 10 marks and eight rebound 50s during the finals.

" Clisby's had a pretty good year for North Adelaide and as a mature-aged player, a great SANFL season and finals series all of a sudden might elevate him a bit more compared to where he was six months ago," Reid said.

"He was good again on the weekend and he's had a really good year and he came through the NSW state system with Taylor Walker.

"He's slowly developed at North under Josh Francou, so someone like that [would benefit greatly from a good finals campaign].

"I'm not saying he's definitely going to be drafted, but he'd probably put himself in contention to look at an opportunity, even if it's a rookie."

Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry