GWS Giants Academy's Riverina coach Tim Sullivan says draft hopeful Jack Driscoll is doing everything possible to impress AFL clubs in a tough year for regional-based players.
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The cancellation of many leagues due to COVID has severely limited opportunities for talented youngsters to showcase what they can do, with Riverina draft aspirants like Jeromy Lucas, Liam Delahunty and Cooper Sharman denied a chance at state-level football.
The Rock-Yerong Creek ruckman Driscoll is still 18 and will have another in the Giants and AFL Academies to show what he can do should he be overlooked in next month's draft.
Driscoll was invited to the recent AFL NSW/ACT Draft Combine along with fellow Wagga big man Godfrey Okerenyang.
"He's definitely one that is on their list they're keen to have a look at and see what he can do," Sullivan said of Driscoll.
"There may be a chance he does get taken this year, but realistically we're thinking he'll go through as a 19-year-old at the academy and continue to develop and get better.
"He was pretty disappointed with his 2km time trial, but it still gives him a good indication of the level he needs to get to now. Hopefully we'll see him play some good, consistent footy, which he's capable of.
"His goal when we went into lockdown was to put on body size and he's done that, he's put on 8kg which is really good.
"That's the discussion we've had with Jack, that despite COVID stopping us from playing his goal was to continue his fitness and put on some size so he's not knocked around.
"He's quite quick for a big man and he's put on some muscle.
"If he can get his fitness up he'll be great in the ruck and following the ball around, because he's got really nice skills for a big guy.
"If he can take a few marks in the games we've got this year we'll certainly turn heads."
Although Okerenyang has played limited football recently, Sullivan said the reigning 100m All Schools champion is another on the radar due to his natural gifts.
"Godfrey is the other one they like. I haven't seen him play for a few years now because he's been concentrating on athletics, but he's just athletically gifted," Sullivan said.
"With him it's (developing) his footy HQ, we hope to see him more and more at Giants this year and who knows what can happen from there.
"People with those gifts, he's lucky to have it."
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