By Jonty Ralphsmith
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.
#30: Tom de Koning: The athletic Carlton ruckman is picked on potential and excitement factor. The way he plays magnetises you to the TV and although he so far has just 41 games to his name, one suspects he’ll finish his career well into three figures.
#29: Stephen Salopek: Only played more than 20 games in a season once, plus another four seasons where he played 15-16 games for Port Adelaide. The midfielder averaged 18 disposals across his career as a serviceable contributor in the late 2000s.
#28: Levi Casboult: Has always been a striking presence inside 50, his strength making him a scary prospect in one-on-ones in attack. Goal kicking accuracy has plagued him throughout his career, but a move to Gold Coast in 2022 has yielded a career-best year.
#27: Andrejs Everitt: The career highlight for Everitt was undoubtedly a set-shot goal as substitute from long range to win a game for Sydney against Geelong in 2012. Spent four seasons at Western Bulldogs and three at each the Swans and Carlton in a 131-game career.
#26: Adam Ramanaskus: Was all the talk as an emerging talent when Essendon won its premiership in 2000, playing 24 games in that season to come runner-up in the rising star. The Noble Park product played 134 games and is now an AFL player agent.
#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.
#20: Hayden Young: Only just started his career, drafted in 2019, but has already established himself as an important figure of Fremantle’s defence. His ball use has always given him game-changing ability on rebound and his composure belies his age. The Dockers locked him away until 2026 earlier this year exemplifying how high up this list he may be when he hangs them up.
#19: Dylan Roberton: A general in defence, Roberton’s AFL career was cut short by a heart condition which saw him collapse during a pre-season game in 2018. Was an experienced and smart leader at St Kilda, making the All-Australian squad in 2017, after being initially picked up by Fremantle.
#18: Dylan Shiel: Has 199 games to his name and was a foundation Giant who moved states at a young age, bought into the culture and helped their rise up the ladder, before crossing to Essendon in 2019, where he has played 64 games in four seasons.
#17: Lachie Whitfield: Has played 185 games and split his time between the midfield and half back since being taken with the first selection of the 2012 draft. At his best he oozes class, which has seen him win two best-and-fairests and one All-Australian jacket.
#16: Travis Johnstone: Another one of Dandenong’s number one draft picks, Johnstone, a product of Chelsea, went to Melbourne in the 1997 draft, where he played the bulk of his career, including in the 2000 grand final side, before finishing at Brisbane.
#15: Michael Hibberd: Was part of the 2021 Melbourne premiership team after a fighting career with Essendon. Crossed to Melbourne and added experience to the Dees’ defence, having now played 185 games.
#14: Tom Scully: Three clubs in two states, 11 seasons and 187 games…Tom Scully’s AFL career was a journey. Ran all day, exposing opponents late in quarters and games, with his 187-game career, largely at GWS, probably viewed much more positively if he did not have the pressure of being a number-one pick.
#13: David Hille: Essendon’s predominant ruckman through the early 21st century, Hille played 197 games for the Bombers and won the club’s best and fairest in 2008.
#12: Adam Treloar: The midfielder has come heart-breakingly close to winning a premiership twice – with Collingwood in 2018 and Western Bulldogs in 2021 – in a career that has spanned a decade, 200 games and three clubs, after being taken as a foundation GWS Giant.
#11: Trent Croad: Played the bulk of his career at Hawthorn, punctuated by two seasons at Fremantle. The 222-gamer could play at either end of the field and was a crucial part of Hawthorn’s 2008 premiership run, playing 20 games in that season before getting injured during the grand final.
#10: Jeff White: Pick one in the 1994 draft, White spent just three seasons out west before returning to his home state, playing his best footy for Melbourne. The ruckman averaged at least 16 hitouts in all 11 of his seasons at Melbourne, with his career highlighted by selection in the 2004 All-Australian team.
#9: Matthew Boyd: Famously finished his career with 292 games to his name after initially being taken as a rookie by the Western Bulldogs. Boyd was a lionhearted contributor who could play in defence or run through the midfield. The former Frankston Dolphin played in the Dogs’ drought-breaking 2016 premiership.
#8: Tom Lynch: Richmond’s Tom Lynch is arguably coming off the best season of his career, kicking 63 goals for the Tigers. The once Gold Coast co-captain is a strong key forward who carried a heavy load during the Suns’ early years and more recently has formed an excellent combo with Jack Riewoldt.
#5: Jacob Weitering: Carlton’s key pillar in defence, Weitering gets the opposition’s best forward each week and nullifies with bodywork and fists. Won the John Nichols medal in 2020 and has 133 games under his belt after being taken with pick one in the 2015 draft.
#7: Chris Newman: Competed week after week during a difficult period for Richmond. Newman was the Tigers’ captain from 2009-12. The Beaconsfield talent finished with 268 AFL games.
#6: Justin Leppitsch: Now an assistant coach at Collingwood, having also coached Brisbane, Leppitsch played in all three of the Lions premierships from 2001-03. The star defender finished with 227 games and three All-Australian Blazers.
#4: Stephen Milne: Like all small forwards, he had a cult-following at his club – St Kilda – and got under the skin of other teams. Kicked 574 goals from his 275 games in the early 2000s, leading the Saints’ goal-kicking on four occasions – including in 2010 when they made the grand final.
#3: Luke Parker: The heart and soul Sydney Swan has been putting his body on the line and head over the ball for more than a decade. A 2012 premiership player with two best and fairests, Parker averages five tackles and more than 23 disposals per game.
#2: Nathan Jones: Melbourne’s heart and soul midfielder who guided the Dees through their darkest days before losing his spot in the side during the 2021 premiership season and watching the grand final from home after the birth of his child. A tough, team-first player who finished with 302 games.
#1: Brendan Fevola: Finished his career with an astonishing average of more than three goals per game in a career that spanned more than a decade – mostly with Carlton before finishing up at Brisbane. Controversy followed his career but his ability to win a game off his own boot has always drawn a crowd and he has made several appearances for St Kilda City in local footy in 2022.
