HOPEFULS PREPARE FOR AFL DRAFT
Eighteen players from across Melbourne’s west have nominated for the 2019 NAB AFL Draft.
One of the top prospects is Altona Juniors young gun, Emerson Jeka.
The talented WRFL junior has been highly touted as potential draft selection for several seasons now and is hopeful of making his AFL dream a reality over the next two days.
Jeka has had a decorated junior career, having played in Altona Juniors’ Under 17 Division 1 premiership two years ago.
He has represented the WRFL on two occasions and in 2016 was named in the School Sport Australia Under 15 All Australian team.
Jeka has played with the Western Jets for the past three seasons and played two Vic Metro games in NAB AFL Under 18 Championships earlier this year.
Despite suffering an injury in the Under 18 Australian team game against the Casey Demons, Jeka is tipped to be selected by an AFL club.
2019 Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal winner Jake Riccardi is also in contention.
The Werribee star played his junior football with St Bernards and after finishing the VFL season strongly is now on the radar of several AFL clubs.
Riccardi kicked 38 goals in 20 games for Werribee this season, with Champion Data ranking the teenager ‘elite’ for score involvements this year and ‘above average’ for disposals, marks, goal assists and goals.
As a WRFL junior, Riccardi won two junior premierships, was a WRFL junior interleague player twice and played in St Bernards’ Herald Sun Shield victory in 2017.
Riccardi’s teammate Bior Malual is another player hoping his impressive season has caught the eye of AFL recruiters.
Malual played 19 games for Werribee in 2019 and was invited to the State Combine. There he recorded an 8.02-second agility test and 21.8 yo-yo test, which were both the best at the combine.
Malual has played for four WRFL clubs over the journey – Werribee Centrals, Glen Orden, Werribee Districts and Wyndhamvale.
He played junior interleague in 2010 and won two premierships, the 2013 Under 18 Division 2 premiership with Glen Orden and the 2014 Under 18 Division 2 flag with Werribee Districts.
Other players, connected through the WRFL, who have nominated for the NAB AFL Draft include:
WRFL
Steven Kyriazis (Caroline Springs)
Jett Matthews (Hoppers Crossing)
Western Jets
Daly Andrews (Werribee Centrals, Werribee Districts)
Spencer Johnson (Altona Juniors)
Josh Kellett (Werribee Districts)
Lucas Rocci (Werribee Districts)
Calder Cannons
Benjamin Overman (St Bernards)
Max Simpson (St Bernards – Aberfeldie)
Werribee VFL
Bior Malual (Werribee Centrals, Glen Orden, Werribee Districts, Wyndhamvale)
Hamish Murphy (Werribee Districts, Williamstown Juniors, North Footscray)
Baxter Norton (Spotswood)
Jake Riccardi (St Bernards)
Edyn Sibbald (St Bernards)
Williamstown VFL
Nicholas Ebinger (Williamstown Juniors)
Brayden Monk (Werribee Districts)
Thomas Mundy (Altona)
Footscray VFL
Dillon Viojo-Rainbow (Hoppers Crossing, Werribee Districts)
Jordan Boyd (Spotswood)
To view the full list of players who have nominated for the Draft, click here.
The NAB AFL Draft will be held on November 27 and November 28 at Marvel Stadium.
You can watch the Draft live on Fox Footy or the AFL Live App. Updates will also be provided on the AFL website.