World Footy News

The 2016 US Combine in LA has wrapped up.  The AFL will now bring a number of athletes down to Australia  in July (likely 3) to prepare for the National Draft Combine, although the possibility exists that they could bring one or more earlier at the request of AFL clubs as they did with Mason Cox in 2014.

The final day of the Combine saw the athletes in a competitive, improvised game with tackling. Woody Quinn, a gridiron player from the University of Tennessee stood out here against the basketballers. Also impressing was the 7ft Frenchman Stan Heili who threw himself wholeheartedly into the competitive work. Others that impressed were Shane Henry and Omari Gudul.

We spoke to Gil Griffin, author of the forthcoming book "Jumping at the Chance: From NBA Hopefuls to AFL Prospects — The Players of the American Experiment" who he thought would be offered the chance to come to Melbourne.

Photo Courtesy AFL Photos

"I was very impressed by Woody Quinn, he showed great aggressiveness and competitive fire. He also is smart and curious about the game. Came out of nowhere today.  The other four I was most impressed by are Omari Gudul, Shane Henry, Stan Heili and Brandon Nazione."

When I pressed Gil on who he would select if he had to pick just two to bring to his AFL club he responded "I'd go for Omari Gudul and Stan Heili. Gudul is athletic enough to possibly adapt to forward craft, while Heili is a smart, strong tackling ruckman, who could play a Todd Goldstein role."

Whoever gets the invites to come down under to the next step of the Aussie rules journey will fulfil the talent mandate that the AFL development staff have been tasked to find.  From there it will be up to the athlete and the AFL clubs to make something of it.

Photo Courtesy AFL Photos