This year marks 30 years of the under-18 boys talent pathway competition in Victoria. The Dandenong Stingrays, at the time called the Southern Stingrays, entered the competition, then known as the Victorian State Football League under-18s, in the inaugural year, with Gippsland Power coming in the following season. The league has since produced 20 number-one picks and more than 1500 players. Below, JONTY RALPHSMITH takes a look at the best 30 players to have been recruited from the Stingrays over the journey
#25: Kris Massie: There were high hopes for Massie when he was taken by Carlton at pick seven in the 1997 draft and he debuted the following year while still in year 12, winning the Blues’ best-first-year-player award. Played in Carlton’s losing 1999 grand final side in his second season, and after 43 games at Carlton, was traded to Adeaide where he played 88 games.
#24: Adam McPhee: Was drafted by Fremantle and returned to the Dockers in his final three years but played the prime of his career at Essendon. Got 12 Brownlow votes, an All-Australian Blazer and the Essendon Best and Fairest in 2004, his best season.
#23: Shane Savage: After missing out on selection in the 2013 Hawthorn AFL premiership side, Savage was traded to St Kilda where he was dependable in defence. His want to take the game on and springboard attacking chains from defence was a trademark of his 165-game career.
#22: Nick Haynes: An intercepting and rebounding medium defender, Haynes has been a mainstay of GWS’ back six since 2015. His average of 6.3 marks per game across his career is rated elite.
#21: Austinn Jones: His dash and confidence formed a good mix with his disposal efficiency to make Jones one of St Kilda’s most important players in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Spent just a decade in the game as a wingman and halfback, but packed plenty of memorable highlights into that period.
