Veteran AFL recruiter Matt Rendell believes clubs should consider holding back 2020 Victorian draftees and giving them an extended pre-season.
Those drafted last year out of the state likely haven’t played a proper game of footy since 2019, given the COVID lockdowns during their final junior year.
We saw the Western Bulldogs take the conservative approach with number one overall pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan on Wednesday, with the key forward playing in their reserves game against Hawthorn’s reserves, rather than in the proper scratch match.
Rendell believes that may be the best approach, with the fear being a serious injury could see these players essentially missing two full years of football.
“Here’s the problem with the kids coming out of the Victorian part of the draft, they haven’t played for a year and a half,” the former Collingwood recruiter told SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“They haven’t played a game of proper footy for a year and a half. I think clubs will be pretty conservative with these players, worried about injury.
“Did they do enough training last year? I know a lot did, but some might not have. They might just be de-conditioned from having not played a season.
“I like the fact that they’re conservative. You don’t want these kids getting injured through the whole year which would mean they’ve missed two years.
“There’s an argument for just training them for a few months without playing them and bringing them in around June. Just to make sure they’re physically ready to go.”
Practice matches continue around the country, with Essendon rolling out top 10 draftees Nik Cox and Archie Perkins on Thursday against Carlton.