A bevy of West Australian draft hopefuls have blitzed the AFL Draft Combine, while the top of the crop made the first-round picture a little clearer.
The 2023 combine featured 61 of the best prospects from around the country, completed across three days at the MCG, AIA Centre and Margaret Court Arena. It tests their athletic traits, but also gives opportunities for clubs to settle their draft boards with interviews and medicals.
Top prospects including Harley Reid, Jed Walter, Colby McKercher and Dan Curtin sat out testing as they recover from late-season injuries, but are all expected to be ready for day one of AFL preseason.
Just six weeks out from the 2023 AFL Draft, these are the biggest storylines stemming from one of the biggest events on the draft calendar.
West Australians headline results
WA's top prospect Dan Curtin didn't test due to a hamstring niggle, but that didn't stop the state from dominating day three of the combine.
It was headlined by Aiden O'Driscoll -- brother of Fremantle's Nathan and Emma -- who topped the 20m sprint with a scintillating 2.87 seconds. The hard-running wingman also posted an elite 6:06 minutes in the 2km time trial to showcase the endurance that helped him rack up the ball for Perth and school side Wesley all year.
Big bodied forward-midfielder Koltyn Tholstrup did his first-round chances no harm with impressive performances over the weekend, showing a speed-endurance combination to go with his bruising style of play. The future cult figure posted an impressive 6:17 minute 2km run, 3.05 seconds in the 20m sprint, and 8.19 seconds in the agility test, good for second place.
Creative forward Lance Collard confirmed his blistering pace with a 2.92 second 20m sprint and combine-topping 8.16 seconds in the agility test, and his 6:32 minute 2km won admirers on Friday.
194cm utility Zane Zakostelsky continued his rise up draft boards with a combine-best 80cm standing vertical to go with a 2.95 second 20m sprint.
South Australian ruck steals the show
South Adelaide's Taylor Goad has been building this season, and his size-defying speed has been an eye-catching trait on the field. Two sub-three second 20m sprints confirmed his freakish acceleration at 205cm. Goad's 2.97 seconds placed him in the top 10 for the draft combine amongst a bevy of smalls.
Goad has been a presence for the premiership-winning Panthers all season, and his three big contested marks in the Grand Final against Sturt showcased his improved all-round game. He looms as an exciting tall to develop at the next level.
Goad's outing followed an astonishing performance from 202cm ruckman Ethan Read in the 2km time trial, running sub-six minutes. The Suns Academy star has put together a brilliant campaign to head into November's draft a likely top 10 pick, with his athletic traits and skill at his size likening him to Luke Jackson.
Top National Draft Combine Results
20m sprint
1st: Aiden O'Driscoll - 2.871 seconds
2nd: Will Graham - 2.915
3rd: Caleb Windsor - 2.916
4th: Lance Collard - 2.923
5th: Kane McAuliffe - 2.930
6th: Zane Zakostelsky - 2.954
7th: Phoenix Gothard - 2.963
8th: Taylor Goad - 2.965
9th: Eion McElholm - 2.993
10th: Harry DeMattia - 2.996
Agility test
1st: Lance Collard - 8.157 seconds
2nd: Koltyn Tholstrup - 8.194
3rd: Angus Hastie - 8.204
4th: Bodie Ryan - 8.208
5th: Zane Zakostelsky - 8.233
6th: Ashton Moir - 8.244
7th: Reece Torrent - 8.260
8th: Darcy Wilson - 8.263
9th: Aiden O'Driscoll - 8.302
10th: Nate Caddy - 8.331
2km time trial
1st: Tarkyn O'Leary - 5:48 minutes
2nd: Darcy Wilson - 5:52
3rd: Ethan Read - 5:56
4th: Jordan Croft - 6:05
5th: Caiden Cleary - 6:06
6th: Aiden O'Driscoll - 6:06
7th: Archie Roberts - 6:08
8th: Connor O'Sullivan - 6:11
9th: Joel Freijah - 6:13
10th: Harvey Johnston and Koltyn Tholstrup - 6:17
Standing vertical jump
1st: Zane Zakostelsky - 80cm
2nd: Will Graham, Phoenix Gothard and Mitchell Edwards - 78cm
4th: Kane McAuliffe - 77cm
5th: Darcy Wilson - 76cm
6th: Riley Hardeman - 75cm
7th: Jack Delean and Taylor Goad - 74cm
9th: Aiden O'Driscoll and Caleb Windsor - 73 cm
Running vertical jump
1st: Darcy Wilson - 98cm
2nd: Zane Duursma - 97cm
3rd: Will Graham and Kane McAuliffe - 95cm
4th: Mitchell Edwards and Zane Zakostelsky - 94cm
6th: Aiden O'Driscoll and Caleb Windsor - 92cm
8th: Riley Hardeman - 91cm
9th: Cooper Simpson - 90cm
West Coast in box seat for Harley Reid
Harley Reid is one step closer to being an Eagle, reiterating his commitment to play wherever he's drafted.
"I've spoken to around five or six [clubs] in the last couple days," Reid told media on Saturday.
"Where I go, even Melbourne, it's going to be a challenge to move... I'll be happy anywhere, there's still a bit to play out so what happens, happens."
Reid did not test at the combine as he nurses a hyperextended knee, but met with West Coast again on the weekend and consensus amongst recruiters remains that the Eagles are poised to select the explosive midfielder with the top pick in the 2023 draft.
Dan Curtin's Clarko appraisal
The next domino to fall in the draft after West Coast will be North Melbourne, and Daniel Curtin has emerged as a frontrunner for the Roos.
With North likely to lose Ben McKay to the Bombers in free agency and gain pick three in the draft, the 195cm intercepting defender looms as the ideal option at the top of the order.
Curtin was quick to praise North master coach Alastair Clarkson and confirmed his willingness to move interstate for good.
"Staying in WA would be awesome, but at the same time I'd absolutely love the opportunity to go to Melbourne, and I do want to be a very loyal player," Curtin said on Friday.
"It'd be an absolute honour [to be coached by Clarkson]. He's a very accomplished coach and I'm sure there's still things he wants to do. I'd love to get coached by him."
Duursma eyes AFL reunion with brother
Top-three chance Zane Duursma has put an AFL reunion with brother Xavier firmly on the table, saying he's spoken to the Port Adelaide wingman about playing their footy together sooner rather than later.
After 73 games with the Power, Xavier is weighing up a move back to Victoria amid interest from Essendon.
"Playing footy with Xavier is one of the things I'd love to do in the next few years," Zane told the media at the MCG ahead of the draft combine on Friday.
Zane Duursma's athletic traits didn't necessarily translate to the draft combine. He posted a time of 3.05 seconds in the 20m sprint and a 6:38 minute 2km time, which had him in the middle of the pack in both tests. But it's the forward's supreme skill with ball in hand that has recruiters eyeing him as a possible top three selection in November's draft.