Each week, ESPN.com.au AFL draft expert Chris Doerre casts his eye over the country's best junior footballers to give readers an early insight into the next generation of AFL stars.
As well as attending live games, Doerre pores through match vision, analyses the stats and talks to industry sources to ensure he can offer the most insightful draft analysis.
Aside from the weekly wraps, Doerre will also unveil his power rankings at the end of each month and as we get closer to November's national draft, Doerre will also predict who goes where with his annual phantom draft.
Player focus
There has never been a footballer past or present who is as special defensively as he is at winning centre bounce ground balls at high speed as pick one contender and consensus first live selection in this year's draft Jason Horne-Francis.
For South Adelaide in their 52-point SANFL League win against the Central Districts, Horne-Francis enjoyed a breakout performance with season highs of 22 disposals, seven marks and three goals, with each of those majors coming in the second quarter and giving the Panthers a lead they would not relinquish.
What has been so impressive with the highly-rated Horne-Francis this year is he never fails to deliver defensively, and it has been the staple to his game which compliments his attacking prowess. With his strong tackles, second and third efforts, all the pressure acts and the smothers, Horne-Francis applies himself defensively on a level not seen before from a top-end junior prospect. It's that component to his game where even if he's having a quiet game or struggling to impact games offensively, he'll continue to find a way defensively to influence the result.
Horne-Francis against Central Districts delivered defensively as he always does - with a key smother, a second and third chase effort which pressured the opposition player into a poor rushed kick that led to an intercept mark, and a chase down tackle where he passed by his opponent in a footrace to catch the ball winner from well behind for a chase down tackle.
While the defensive aspects didn't go unnoticed by club scouts, where the 18-year-old did his most damage was at stoppages. Horne-Francis was found frequently setting up at centre bounces a few metres away from the contest, positioning himself so that there would be no one obstructing his run up at the contest. He would run into the contest -- timing it to perfection -- swoop in at speed and cleanly win the ball off the bounce.
There are few better than Horne-Francis when there is space around the ball, or the ball bounces loose of the contest to run onto and win. While he is a pick one contender, as with every footballer in the country, there is still room for improvement in his game. At this stage, Horne-Francis struggles to find much in the way of easy outside ball and can also find it difficult to find much of the football when stationed in the forward line. He will also, at stoppages, need to find a way when his run at the ball is blocked off to continue winning the ball via another avenue.
Rising stocks
SANFL
Leek Alleer, 19, showed enough glimpses to suggest he should be on the radar of AFL clubs. Collecting nine disposals and eight marks (five contested) for Central Districts, Aleer across his past three matches has managed nine contested marks and has become an intercept marking beast.
In just his second league game, the classy and agile Nashiah Wanganeen-Milera impressed with 12 disposals and one goal for Glenelg in their 10-point win against Norwood. He is one to keep an eye on.
WAFL COLTS
Enhancing his draft stocks in one of his best performances this season, athletic key forward Jacob Van Rooyen was dominant for Claremont in their 68-point win against Subiaco with 22 disposals, nine marks and six goals.
Talented Fremantle Next-Generation Academy prospect Eric Benning enjoyed a breakout game and also enhanced his draft prospects. The high-leaping 196cm key position player has spent much of the year through the ruck but with the opportunity to spend most of the game forward, the exciting prospect earned best-on-ground honours and managed season highs of 17 disposals and four goals for Claremont.
Sharpshooting key forward Jye Amiss was at his best in front of goal with six majors, to go with season highs of 18 disposals and 11 marks for East Perth in their 91-point win against rivals Perth. Amiss has kicked a competition-high 47 goals in his 11 matches and has not dropped below four goals over his past five games.
The younger brother of Carlton star Patrick, Joshua Cripps managed season highs of 23 disposals, eight marks, 10 hit outs and three goals in a best-afield display for East Fremantle in their 50-point win against South Fremantle. Cripps is a 199cm project player and will be looking for a few more big games. His 2020 season was derailed by a ruptured ACL, and without a WAFL Colts game to his name he subsequently went undrafted with clubs having not seen enough of him.
The over-ager is now exposing his form and appears to be a draftable late bloomer, with plenty of development still to come which would excite most clubs.
Providing a focal point up forward, Jack Williams was another tall West Australian to have a strong round with 17 disposals, seven marks and five goals for East Fremantle.
Key returning players
SANFL RESERVES
In his first game back since May from a syndesmosis injury, likely first round choice Matty Roberts performed strongly with 18 disposals and five marks for South Adelaide in their 41-point win against the Central Districts. The big positive, aside from getting through the game playing a solid brand of football, was his improved decision making and clear progression shown with his short kicking, making a concerted effort to lower his eyes more and hit the short target when it was on.
In his first game since June for South Adelaide, fellow first round contender Arlo Draper, like Roberts, made his return from a syndesmosis injury, managing 14 disposals and five tackles through the midfield. Draper showed his class at stages, though looked like he needs another week at the level before he gets back to his best and contends for a League debut.