By Jarrod Potter
FOR some players next Tuesday’s pre-season and rookie drafts could be the last chance they have to make it to the AFL.
After being overlooked on 28 November in the national draft, prospects have one last opportunity to make next year’s senior playing lists.
The best chances from our area are Alex Benbow and Shaun Marusic.
Benbow, this year’s Morrish Medal winner and member of the TAC Cup team of the year, impressed in 16 games for the Dandenong Stingrays and two for Vic Country. The inside midfielder from Beaconsfield was overlooked for a national or state combine invitation, but would be unlucky not to find himself onto an AFL list after a standout year in the TAC Cup.
Shaun Marusic, winner of this season’s TAC Cup coaches award, played as the 23rd man for the Casey Scorpions and played in various key positions for the Gippsland Power over 18 games this season and also played in two matches for Vic Country.
Gembrook’s Damien Volta stands a chance of getting his name read out as well after an impressive year with the Eastern Ranges. He played every game this season and also played as the 23rd man for the Box Hill Hawks.
From the Stingrays, other names to listen out for this week will be Brett O’Hanlon, a surprise omission from the national draft, Darren Minchington and Piva Wright.
In Gippsland Power, Danny Butcher and Hayden Hector are in with a shot at getting onto a rookie list.
The two drafts on Tuesday also spell what could be the last chance for Casey Scorpions and Narre Warren full forward Brendan Fevola to return to the AFL, after being delisted by the Brisbane Lions at the start of this season.
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