THERE will be 12 prospects who undergo medical testing from the AFL ahead of the Mid-Season Rookie Draft in a strong indicator on the players who could be selected later this month.
The AFL informed clubs on Thursday that the group of players had received multiple draft nominations to complete medical screenings and psychometric testing by likely the end of next week before names are called on Wednesday, May 31.
The group shows a range of interest, including overlooked pair Clay Tucker, a ruckman from Eastern Ranges, and potential top mid-season pick Ryan Maric, a forward from the Gippsland Power, as well as Ethan Stanley (Box Hill Hawks), Brandon Ryan (Northern Bullants) and Mutaz El Nour and James Trezise (Richmond) from the VFL competition.
Claremont key forward Jack Buller will also go through a medical as he captures interest, the same for talented youngster Robert Hansen jnr, who has caught the eye of clubs this season with Subiaco.
Jaiden Hunter, who was first eligible for the draft in 2020 but was not taken by clubs, has also received a call-up, with the athletic 21-year-old tall on the radar of clubs after a run of form in the WAFL with Perth.
Rye Penny, another player from the Coates Talent League program with the Calder Cannons; Will Elliott, the son of former Australian Test cricketer Matthew; and Northern Knights ruckman Flynn Riley round out the group of players set to do medicals.
Clubs are able to do further medicals on players if they do not appear on the list, meaning there will likely be others selected outside of the group.
Five clubs started the season with selections available for the mid-season draft – Essendon, Fremantle, Geelong, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs – after beginning the year with list vacancies.
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But five more clubs now have potential selections available due to retirements or long-term injuries, with Port Adelaide (Mitch Georgiades), West Coast (Jai Culley), Greater Western Sydney (Darcy Jones and Adam Kennedy) and Sydney (Sam Reid) also now having available spots at the draft because of their players' unavailability for the rest of the season, while Richmond can open a pick due to Jason Castagna's retirement. Hawthorn, too, has opened a second position on its list by placing ruckman Max Lynch on the long-term injury list.
The Mid-Season Rookie Draft will be broadcast live and exclusively on AFL.com.au.
MID-SEASON ROOKIE DRAFT MEDICALS LIST
Brandon Ryan (Northern Bullants)
Clay Tucker (Eastern Ranges)
Ethan Stanley (Box Hill)
Flynn Riley (Northern Knights)
Jack Buller (Claremont)
Jaiden Hunter (Perth)
James Trezise (Richmond VFL)
Mutaz El Nour (Richmond VFL)
Robert Hansen jnr (Subiaco)
Ryan Maric (Gippsland Power)
Rye Penny (Calder Cannons)
Will Elliott (Oakleigh Chargers)