By Jonty Ralphsmith
Taj Campbell-Farrell headlines four Dandenong Stingrays to have been selected for the Victorian State draft combine.
To participate, a nomination from at least two AFL clubs is required, with 66 players from around the country invited.
Campbell-Farrell averaged 29 disposals from his 10 NAB League games before compartment syndrome in his foot cut his season short.
His nomination comes after coach Nick Cox told Star Journal in July that Campbell-Farrell deserved attention
“Personally, I still can’t believe he is still not getting the recognition that he’s shown he deserves… his contested stuff is elite,” Cox said.
“There’s still a lot of clubs interested so that’s quite pleasing.
“At the next level, the big-bodied midfielders who can stand up in a contest and either take the tackle so it doesn’t spill out, or execute, is something that is quite rare to be able to do.”
Athletic Mount Eliza product Finn Emile-Brennan, Hugo Nosiara, who is averaging 17 disposals in defence, and Ziggy Toledo-Glasman, who has showed off his forward craft in kicking 13.7 from his five games for the Stingrays, were also invited.
Gippsland’s Jonti Schuback, who has represented Vic Country in the national championships, and Haileyburian captain and Vic Metro defender Jakob Anderson were also on the invite list.
The state combine invites come a week after the following Stingrays and Power players were selected for the national combine: Mitch Sybkowski, Jaxon Binns, Henry Hustwaite, Bailey Humphrey, Coby Burgiel, Max Knobel, Cooper Vickery.
