AFLNT is proud to announce three members of the NT State Academy have been invited to participate in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft Combine in October.
Ben Long, Tony Olango and Brandan Parfitt will represent the Territory after the AFL released a list of 80 players who have been invited by at least five AFL clubs.
Ben Long hails from the famous Long dynasty, a well-known Territory name.
A keen fisherman, Long is the son of St Mary’s Football Club legend Chris.
At 176cm, Long played a key role for the Allies during the National Championships while playing alongside Olango and Parfitt.
The 18-year old, who is boarding at Melbourne Grammar, plays in the Associated Public Schools of Victoria competition and for Footscray in the Victorian Football League competition.
Olango, 18, has represented the Northern Territory at the NAB AFL National Under-18 Championships for the past two years and was selected in the Allies team to compete in Division One of the 2016 NAB AFL Under-18 National Championships.
The Year 12 O’Loughlin Catholic College student was the only Territory footballer taller than 195cm at the 2016 NAB AFL National Under-18 Championships.
At 201cm, the Kenyan-born ruckman is a member of the NAB AFL Academy squad that trained in Florida earlier this year. Teammate Brandan Parfitt was another participant.
Parfitt, also a member of the NAB AFL Academy, is a 177cm midfielder and a well-established player having represented the AIS Academy in its game against VFL side Werribee earlier this year. He has also played in two exhibition games against VFL sides.
Parfitt is the youngest ever winner of the Nightcliff Football Club’s best-and-fairest award which he won at the age of 16 following a standout 2014/15 season in the NTFL. He is currently playing for North Adelaide in the SANFL.
AFLNT High Performance Manager Wally Gallio said all three individuals were deserving of the achievement and each bring something different to the table.
“It is exciting for the Northern Territory to have three players invited to attend the 2016 NAB AFL Draft Combine and it is a real credit to all three young men who have shown a strong commitment to excellence,” Gallio said.
“As a player, Tony Olango is someone who moves swiftly across the field, he has speed and clubs are always on the lookout for developing talls. He has impressed as a roaming and agile ruckman and we forget he has only played 19 games of AFL.
“His follow up work is what sets him apart; he gets in the air and then follows up with ground work.
“We saw it in the Championships where he was a ruckman but was also able to play as a crumbing forward and kick a couple of goals,” Gallio said.
“And with Brandan Parfitt, what stands out most is his tackling and energy around the ball, he uses his speed to apply pressure on opposition midfielders.
“Brandan is a contested ball magnet, he represented the Allies this year and was an All-Australian last year, so he is someone we believe has a great future ahead of him.
“Ben Long is an extremely versatile player, he can play tall or small, inside or outside, in the midfield or in the backline, and that is what every team needs.
“He is tenacious at every contest, he’s disciplined, and plays a role within the team,” Gallio said.
The NAB AFL Draft Combine includes testing of athleticism and football skills, as well as assessing each player’s personality and character – all essential elements clubs consider in the drafting process.
The 2016 NAB AFL Draft Combine will be conducted at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne from Thursday October 6 to Sunday October 9.