The McKays, the Kings, and now the Whitlocks. Key position twins Jack and Matt Whitlock are the next towering brothers that clubs will be clamouring for in the AFL Draft.
The state championships are just more than a week away, coinciding with the AFL Draft's top prospects elevating themselves with standout performances for the AFL Academy against VFL sides Coburg and Footscray.
Top-five fancies Finn O'Sullivan and Sid Draper have battled injury at this early juncture, but remain firmly atop the board, and the welcome returns of Sam Lalor and Bo Allan have solidified their credentials.
This is ESPN's top-20 AFL Draft Power Rankings for May as draft prospects approach the mid-year state championships, starting with South Australia hosting the Allies on May 26.
ALL 2024 POWER RANKINGS: April | May | June | July
1. Josh Smillie (April ranking: 1)
Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro
MID, 194cm
Talent League: 5 games, 28.2 disposals, 4.0 marks, 1.6 goals
Smillie is rocketing into football prominence, with each performance adding to his top pick credentials. His hulking size, explosive power and clean hands make him a midfield prospect with a huge ceiling, though he's also shown positional versatility at halfback. Though Smillie is six-foot-four, he hasn't proved a contested marking aptitude, but his rapidly evolving game has shown off goalkicking exploits and penetrating ball use forward of centre.
2. Finn O'Sullivan (2)
Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Country
MID, 182cm
Talent League: 1 game, 15 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles
O'Sullivan's campaign has been frustrating to date, returning from a broken thumb only to fracture another finger playing for the AFL Academy. It leaves him with just two injury-hampered outings to date outside of his school commitments with Xavier. Now having to get surgery on his recent finger injury, O'Sullivan will miss 6 weeks which includes the start of the Under 18 Champs. At his best, Finn's power, aerial prowess and consistently damaging game style has him in pick one contention. Though he hasn't been able to show that to date, a stellar bottom-age campaign holds him in good stead.
3. Levi Ashcroft (3)
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
MID, 179cm
Talent League: 3 games, 27.3 disposals, 4.7 marks, 1.3 goals
Ashcroft is the star of a powerhouse Dragons outfit, building on his outside linking game this year by becoming a much-improved contested on-baller. He gets forward to hit the scoreboard, finds time and space where few can and shows elite work rate to rack the ball up all day. The brother of Will, Ashcroft is linked to the Lions through their academy and father-son ties.
4. Jagga Smith (5)
Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro
MID, 181cm
Talent League: 5 games, 30.6 disposals, 3.6 marks, 2.8 tackles
The mercurial Chargers midfielder has been a shining light in another dour year for the club, flourishing with added responsibility as its captain. Smith takes the ball from the inside to outside better than anyone in the draft and has the neat skills to release players into space by hand and foot. He sits second in the CTL for disposals per game.
READ: Jagga Smith is arguably this year's most exciting midfielder
5. Luke Trainor (4)
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
DEF, 194cm
Talent League: 2 games, 20.5 disposals, 5.5 marks, 3.3 tackles
The standout key position player of the pool has been Trainor, possibly the best performer from the AFL Academies hitouts. Trainor is a capable one-on-one defender, great interceptor and brilliant ball user out of the backline. He's been compared to Essendon's Jordan Ridley, but the right footer is more willing to take the game on and get up the ground, averaging four inside 50s per outing.
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6. Sid Draper (6)
South Adelaide/South Australia
MID, 182cm
2023 SANFL U18s: 14 games, 21.6 disposals, 4.2 clearances, 0.6 goals
Draper made his long-awaited return from a shin fracture in SA's state trials on the weekend, playing a half of football through the midfield. His speed and endurance ties in beautifully with his hard edge at the coalface belying his size. Draper was a genuine Larke Medallist chance last season as a bottom-ager and recruiters haven't forgotten those sparkling carnival performances.
7. Christian Moraes (7)
Eastern Ranges, Vic Metro
MID/FWD, 183cm
Talent League: 4 games, 26.0 disposals, 6.3 marks, 2.3 goals
An elite aerobic athlete boasting snappy movement with ball in hand, Moraes excites around the forward line and as an outside midfielder. He's kicking bags of goals for a powerful Ranges outfit and forms a potent combination with Smillie out of centre bounces, though hasn't proved his inside grunt work can match his dazzling play in transition.
8. Sam Lalor (9)
GWV Rebels/Vic Country
MID, 187cm
2023 Talent League: 8 games, 20.3 disposals, 7.5 tackles, 0.8 goals
Lalor will ply his trade for Geelong Grammar leading into the national carnival, where he kicked seven goals on return a few weeks back. The hulking midfielder offers elite defensive presence in stoppages to go with aerial prowess up forward. His defensive application and tenacity mirrors that of Brisbane's Josh Dunkley.
9. Leonardo Lombard (8)
SUNS Academy/Allies
MID/FWD, 178cm
Talent League: 2 games, 25.0 disposals, 2.5 marks, 0.5 goals
The mature Lombard has been on the radar for years through the Gold Coast Academy, and won a VFL premiership last season as a 16-year-old. He plays full-chested, able to run through the midfield but also impact up forward where he's masterful in transition breaking the game apart with dare.
READ: Leonardo Lombard is so good, he could force a rule change
10. Taj Hotton (11)
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
FWD/MID, 182cm
Talent League: 3 games, 28.7 disposals, 7.3 marks, 1.7 goals
The big riser from last year is Hotton, a forward-turned-midfielder whose aerobic base has come on in leaps and bounds. He is composed and sharp with the footy and bites off corridor kicks with impressive accuracy. Hotton will hold onto the ball with bold evasiveness until he finds the right option.
11. Jobe Shanahan (20)
Bendigo Pioneers/Allies
FWD, 194cm
Talent League: 5 games, 12.2 disposals, 4.6 marks, 2.0 goals
Shanahan continues to impress aerially, clunking pack marks and making his presence felt leading out of the goal square. He's also spent time up the ground where his work rate gets him up and down the wings to provide an outlet out of defence. Able to leap on heads and typically an accurate set shot, Shanahan could rocket into the top-10 with a strong carnival.
12. Jack Whitlock (17)
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
FWD, 200cm
Talent League: 3 games, 15.0 disposals, 6.0 tackles, 2.3 goals
Whitlock has missed games through injury, but put himself in the first round picture early with big performances up forward for the Bushrangers, earning himself an AFL Academy call-up. At his best he's taking the ball at his highest point and proving a match-up nightmare for defenders with his long limbs, outstanding leap and strong hands.
13. Harry O'Farrell (15)
Calder Cannons/Vic Metro
DEF, 196cm
Talent League: 2 games, 11.5 disposals, 2.5 marks, 0.5 tackles
A masterful shutdown defender, O'Farrell can play at both ends of the ground but looks most comfortable playing back shoulder and coming over the top of packs in contested marking situations. He has the length and sneaky-good closing speed to play on a variety of talls.
14. Joe Berry (unranked)
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
FWD, 180cm
Talent League: 5 games, 13.6 disposals, 4.0 tackles, 3.2 goals
The in-form small forward across the country is Berry, a full-tilt pressuriser who thrives in the chaos of forward 50 contests. He's a chasedown artist, has a beautiful left foot set shot and can work up the ground to boot. Berry's defensive mentality and talent with the football will make him an in-demand small forward.
15. Ben Camporeale (14)
Glenelg/South Australia
MID/DEF, 186cm
SANFL U18s: 4 games, 30.0 disposals, 4.5 marks, 3.5 tackles
A strong accumulator linked to Carlton through the father-son rule, Camporeale shone in the SA trials as a pure midfielder where his quick hands and strong hips come to the fore. He accumulates and has deft touch in his disposal, plus can play across half back as a distributor. His brother Lucas has first-round potential off a wing for Glenelg.
16. Bo Allan (16)
Peel Thunder/Western Australia
DEF/MID, 191cm
WAFL Colts: 2 games, 21.0 disposals, 5.5 marks, 0.5 goals
Allan is a strong presence either down back or through the middle of the park. He takes on tackles with brute force and can fly at top speed, though doesn't have the burst out of contest like some others. Allan may settle as a defender at the next level where his physicality and courage can be displayed.
17. Tom Gross (13)
Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro
MID/FWD, 181cm
Talent League: 2 games, 25.5 disposals, 6.0 tackles, 1.0 goals
Gross possesses an abundance of power in the contest and plays above his height in the forward line. It's an exciting package, but he hasn't quite proved his ability as a pure on-baller. There are elements of Brisbane's Zac Bailey in his forward-half game.
18. Matt Whitlock (unranked)
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
DEF/FWD, 199cm
Talent League: 5 games, 14.8 disposals, 6.0 marks, 1.2 goals
The second of the first-round twins is Matt Whitlock, who has moved up draft boards after a rare forward outing where he booted five goals in his brother's absence. Matt is typically a rangy defender with a good athletic foundation and safe hands in the air. But up forward he competed well and was rewarded for his reading of the play, and it proved his positional versatility for scouts.
19. Isaac Kako (unranked)
Calder Cannons/Vic Metro
FWD, 175cm
Talent League: 5 games, 16.6 disposals, 3.8 marks, 2.0 goals
Kako is must-watch, a dynamo with the ball and wrecking ball without. He hits contests at full tilt and loves to pressure and tackle, plus can play as a lead-up forward on the wings to provide outlets. Kako doesn't have the best goal nous of the small forwards in this draft, but his frenetic energy and ability to stay involved in games has been impressive this year. An Essendon NGA prospect, but a bid can't be matched until pick 40 in the draft.
20. Cody Anderson (18)
Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro
MID, 181cm
Talent League: 6 games, 23.5 disposals, 6.8 tackles, 0.8 goals
Anderson is a maniacal inside midfield presence, hunting the ball and opposition players alike. He's part of a dynamic on-ball unit for the Ranges and has hit the scoreboard to add to his inside game. While he flourishes in the contest, Anderson still needs to prove his outside game and foot skills can translate to the next level.