The SANFL's top AFL draft hopefuls of 2013, from left, Trent Dumont, Luke Dunstan, Matthew Scharenberg, James Aish, Luke Reynolds, Dwayne Wilson and Alex Spina. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: The Advertiser
THIS is South Australia's class of 2013.
In what looms as another golden year for SA football talent, eight Croweaters have been tipped to be selected inside the top 25 at this year's AFL national draft.
If proven correct, this would beat last year's near-record haul of six - Jimmy Toumpas (Melbourne, pick four), Sam Mayes (Brisbane, eight), Troy Menzel (Carlton, 11), Brodie Grundy (Collingwood, 18), Ben Kennedy (Collingwood, 19) and Tim Broomhead (Collingwood, 20).
Headlined by Norwood's teenage sensation James Aish, this year's stellar draft crop includes Glenelg's Matthew Scharenberg, Port Magpies' Luke Reynolds, Woodville-West Torrens' Luke Dunstan, Sturt's Dwayne Wilson, South Adelaide's Darcy Hourigan, North Adelaide's Alex Spina and Aish's Redlegs team-mate Trent Dumont.
All are members of the AIS-AFL Academy Level 2 squad and have been picked by the AFL's statistical bible, AFL Prospectus, to be top-25 selections this year.
"We'll see how things pan out because there is a lot of football to be played before the draft, but we think we'll have an excellent group of draft-eligible players to select from," SA talent manager and under-18 coach Brenton Phillips said.
Aish is the standout. The 17-year-old - a nephew of Norwood's 1981 Magarey Medallist Michael Aish - played in the Legs' league grand final win last year and is in contention to be taken at pick one.
One of the SANFL's top AFL draft prospects for 2013, South Adelaide's Darcy Hourigan.
However, a delayed start to the 2013 season could hurt his draft standing.
Aish has had a labral tear in his right shoulder surgically repaired and is unlikely to play until June.
He carried the injury, sustained when applying a one-armed tackle in an under-18 game, through his stellar 2012 season.
"I wanted to get the shoulder stabilised to avoid any future problems so unfortunately I've got a delayed start to the year," Aish said.
"Obviously it could hurt my draft standing but I'm not too fussed about what number I'm drafted as long as I get picked.
"At the moment my sole focus is on getting myself fit to play."
Draft analysts have described Aish, despite his light build, as a ready-made AFL player in the mould of Carlton's Bryce Gibbs - a Croweater selected at pick one from Glenelg in 2006.
SA's other top draft prospect is key position Tiger Scharenberg, who played league football last year. Scharenberg was coached by Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams at Immanuel College and has been described by Williams as the best schoolboy footballer he has seen and like a young version of Wayne Carey.
Scharenberg played down the big rap, stressing he plays football "just to enjoy it".
"It's what I love to do so I'm just trying to keep improving and make the most of it," he said.
"I'm only young and I've got plenty of things to work on, so I'm just trying to make myself a better player. Hopefully that could lead to good things in the future."
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