2015 State combine preview

St Ignatius College Riverview will host the 2015 State combine on Sunday the 25th of October, with around 50 Draft hopefuls set to be out through their paces.

In addition to the NSW/ACT contingent, nominees from QLD and NT will attend the testing on Sydney’s North Shore.

In total 123 players from competitions across the country have been invited to show their wares in front of recruiters.

11 players from NSW/ACT have been invited to the State Combine:

Charlie Bance  (Wagga Tigers/GWS) – 185cm 84kg

Wagga Tigers draft hopeful Charlie Bance is planning to use the knowledge gained from a turbulent year to spur him on at the upcoming NSW State Combine.

Bance’s season started strongly, spending a week at GIANTS preseason training before injuries hampered his consistency.

At the National Championships Bance did manage a 23 possession game against Tasmania, which included this silky snap on goal, and he hopes to underline his wares as a contested ball-winner in front of recruiters.

Bance was selected in the Allies team to play against the NAB AFL Academy at the Grand Final curtain-raiser.

Bance will no doubt wish to put his best foot forward ahead of the NSW Combine.

Lachlan Behagg (NSW/ACT Rams) – 195cm 88kg

Behagg is a key position versatile player who can play forward or back. The 195cm Manly Giant has great endurance and is a strong competitor who performed well for the Rams in TAC Cup and National championships. Lachie is a Swans Academy player, hailing from the Manly warringah giants.

Max Canfield (Murray Bushrangers) –  195cm 81kg

Canfield played his junior football with Yarrawonga through the Albury Wodonga Junior Football League through to under 16 level.

Canfield has represented the Murray Bushrangers in nine games in season 2015. He started the season impressing watching eyes in round one to seven, before breaking his jaw in round seven causing him to miss the Under 18 National Championships.

However the 195cm versatile forward did enough for the Bushrangers and Yarrawonga to receive an invitation to the NSW State Draft Combine.

Thomas Faul (NSW/ACT Rams) – 186cm 85kg

Ainslie Tri Colours product Thomas Faul was unlucky to be overlooked in the 2014 AFL Draft. After a strong performance in his 2014 season he was not going to let that deter his efforts in 2015.

Faul has spent the past three years in the Greater Western Sydney Giants Academy, and is on the radar of a handful of AFL clubs despite only playing less than 100 games of football.

Kyle Galloway (Murray Bushrangers) – 206cm 104kg

Standing at 206cm Kyle Galloway is a mountain of a man and is still growing. A lousy 5cm stands between him and the tallest ruckman in the AFL Arron Sandilands.

Galloway has developed quickly and could go early if recruiters want him bad enough. The potential of the young man is immeasurable as ruckman of this height with his talent are hard to come by.

Byrdon Hodgson (Eastlake) – 186cm 81kg

After being overlooked in the 2014 draft, Hodgson has been given a second chance signing with NEAFL club Eastlake allowing him to remain in the GWS academy and play for the NSW-ACT Rams as a 19-year-old in the TAC Cup and national championships.

Hodgson, a hard working medium forward that attacks the ball with intent, shows a genuine willingness to learn and prides himself on his contested football.

Hodgson has had a consistent and much improved year, playing six games for the NSW-ACT Rams in the TAC cup finding himself in the best players on three occasions.

The Lavington junior has also had plenty of opportunities at senior level playing six games for his home side Eastlake as well as three games for UWS in the NEAFL.

Jack Irvine (NSW/ACT Rams) – 188cm 80kg

Jack Irvine had a very strong pre-season performing well across all areas. Unfortunately the young man suffered a devastating injury tearing his ACL in round two.

Jack has elite endurance and has  done exceptionally well with his rehab program to get back to full fitness.

Hailing from Wagga the GWS Academy player will no doubt be in contention for this years draft, as well as a chance to prove himself as an overage player next year.

Jake Marshall  (Murray Bushrangers) – 180cm 75kg

A former DraftStar scholarship recipient Jake Marshall had consistent 2015 season managing 14 TAC Cup games finding himself in the best players on six occasions.

The 18-year-old’s season was cut short by a knee injury, which forced him to miss both of the Murray Bushrangers finals matches.

He was able to recover for the opportunity of a lifetime, competing for the Allies as part of a curtain raiser for the AFL Grand Final on the MCG.

Dylan McDonald  (Murray Bushrangers) – 183cm 69kg

Dylan McDonald has had to overcome adversity in his quest to becoming an AFL footballer in 2015. At a young age McDonald was the second youngest person in Australia to be diagnosed with spitzoid malignant melanoma, a rare skin cancer.

After undergoing multiple surgeries and requiring chemotherapy McDonald was unsure of his future and wasn’t guaranteed a bright future.

The 18-year-old has now moved passed his health issues, and since going through that turmoil has a new outlook on life and on football.

“I love being challenged now. When you set a goal, it sets in your mind that it’s what you really want to do. You can’t leave it half-done.”

McDonald was a part of the academy’s high-performance camp in Florida, where he won the three-kilometre time trial after leading the whole way.

Josh Minogue – Murray Bushrangers – 189cm 80kg

Josh is a very smart half forward/midfielder who can go forward and kick goals. Josh played in the TAC Cup with the Murray Bushrangers and competed in the 2015 National Championships with NSW/ACT.

The 189cm versatile forward hails from Albury and is classified under the GWS Academy system.

Ned Reinhard – NSW/ACT Rams – 194cm 84kg

Eastern Suburbs local Ned Reinhard is looking to follow in the footsteps of 2014 draftees Jordan Foote and Abaina Davis as he aspires to join an AFL club in 2016.

Growing up in the Eastern Suburbs the 194cm centre half forward played for East Sydney Bulldogs before moving across to the Maroubra Saints at sixteen.

Reinhard started the season strongly, impressing recruiters and coaching staff in the Swans 55-point win against the Brisbane Lions Academy in Coffs Harbour.

Managing three TAC Cup and Swans reserves games this year the East Sydney junior had a consistent year playing a lot of footy in a range of positions. In the NAB AFL Under 18s Championship game against Queensland Reinhard played centre half back. Although he had never played there before the youngster relished the opportunity, gaining the second highest disposal count for his side.