The Frankston Footy Factory has done it again, with Kye Turner becoming the fifth Dolphin to graduate to the AFL in less than 12 months after he won the last spot on Melbourne’s list this week.
Turner, who turned 21 last week, was a member of the Dolphins Academy last year.
He played for Frankston in the final two rounds of the 2022 Smithy’s VFL season after learning his craft in the backline at VAFA Premier B club Old Haileybury.
Turner was invited to train for the Demons’ final list spot over summer and grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
He joins last year’s Supplementary Selection Period signing Mitch Cox (Brisbane Lions), this season’s NAB AFL Rookie picks Liam Reidy (Fremantle) and Tylar Young (Richmond) and SSP selection Brodie McLaughlin (Gold Coast Sun) as Dolphins players to be added to AFL lists over the past year.
Turner’s elevation is a massive tick for the fledgling Dolphins Academy after he did not come through the recognised talent pathways, having played only one Coates Talent League (formerly NAB League) match for the Sandringham Dragons in 2021.
His selection capped a great week for the Smithy’s VFL, with Kaelan Bradtke and Alex Cincotta also finding their way onto AFL lists in the final days of the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP).
Bradtke played two Smithy’s VFL matches for the Sydney Swans in 2022 and was signed by Richmond on Tuesday.
His progression to the Swans’ VFL team came after starring in the forward line for Corowa-Rutherglen in the Ovens and Murray league.
Carlton’s elevation of 26-year-old Alex Cincotta after a career-best year in the Blues’ VFL team was one of the highlights of the SSP period.
The dashing half back entered 2022 with just one VFL match to his name but played all 20 games for the Blues and finishing second in the club’s best and fairest award to put his name up in lights.
A total of four VFL-listed players won AFL contracts during the SSP period, after Brodie McLaughlin was signed by the Gold Coast Suns earlier this month.
Delisted free agents Fergus Greene (Box Hill Hawks to Hawthorn) and Francis Evans (Geelong Cats to Port Adelaide) earned elevation to AFL lists last year, while Port Melbourne’s Corey Wagner was selected by Fremantle with pick 57 in the 2022 NAB AFL Draft.
Liam Reidy and Tyler Young were selected in the 2022 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, while Category B rookie promotions Darryl McDowell-White and Shadeau Brain (Brisbane Lions), Lloyd Johnston (Gold Coast Suns), Nick Madden (GWS Giants), Angus McLennan (Sandringham to St Kilda) and Will Edwards (Sydney Swans) were also promoted after spending time in the VFL last year.
Eight recently delisted AFL players who appeared in the VFL last year were given a second AFL chance, with Tyler Brown, Darragh Joyce, Oleg Markov, Jed Anderson, Liam Shiels, Liam Stocker and Oskar Baker all signed during SSP period, while Dan Howe was given a second shot in the rookie draft.
The 2022 NAB AFL Draft featured three players who played during the 2022 Smithy’s VFL season, with number two selection Will Ashcroft, Harvey Gallagher, Alwyn Davey Jr all selected, while Osca Riccardi was picked in the rookie draft.
Meanwhile, VFL-listed players Kallan Dawson (Williamstown to North Melbourne), Massimo D’Ambrosio (Richmond to Essendon), Oskar Faulkhead (Geelong Cats to Gold Coast Suns), James Blanck (Box Hill Hawks to Hawthorn) and Will Hayes (Carlton VFL to Carlton) were chosen in the 2022 NAB AFL Mid-Season Draft.
