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AFL talent guru Kevin 'Shifter' Sheehan believes clubs will look to snatch talls early in Wednesday night's draft, with Jamara Ugle-Hagan touted to go at No.1
Tall forwards are all the rage ahead of this year's AFL draft with talent guru Kevin Sheehan predicting clubs will pounce on prodigious goalkickers.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who has been compared to Sydney superstar Lance Franklin, has firmed to be taken with the No.1 pick.
But the Western Bulldogs academy prospect isn't the only key position tall who will be snapped up early in Wednesday night's virtual draft.
Riley Thilthorpe (West Adelaide), Logan McDonald (Perth), along with medium forward Elijah Hollands (Murray Bushrangers), are also backed to give any AFL club's inside-50 a boost next year.
Then there is giant defender Zach Reid (Gippsland Power), who has modelled his game on the Brisbane Lions' two-time All-Australian fullback Harris Andrews.
"I do love the taller players we've seen early. It give us confidence that we've got some tall forwards and some tall defenders; it's going to be great for the competition," Sheehan said.
"Hollands is the best of the medium-sized players. He's a star who did an ACL at the start of the year but he's completely recovered from that."
Victorian draft hopefuls have endured a difficult year with the NAB League unable to go ahead because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They are seriously disadvantaged compared to players in South Australia and Western Australia, who have been able to display their skills at senior level.
Sheehan believes there will be a plethora of players who miss out being drafted this year but end up becoming valuable AFL players in the future.
"Some will be very unlucky and will have needed this 18th year to show their wares," he said.
"Over the years Toby Greene, Jackson Macrae, even Marcus Bontempelli didn't take off until late in his 18th year to be the star that he is. Many boys have missed that chance (in 2020).
"Grand-final day last year when a lot of them played at the MCG will be a vital game (for recruiters).
"The Australian under-17 game from April of last year will be a vital game."
