COUNTRY footballers have again featured heavily at the AFL Draft.
Twenty young guns who got their start at bush clubs were selected by AFL clubs at last night's draft in Sydney, with five of them headed to the fledgling Greater Western Sydney Giants.
Berwick Football Club export Matthew Buntine was the first VCFL player drafted at No. 5.
The medium defender, headed to the Giants, has been touted as a future captain with outstanding ball-reading ability.
He will be joined at the Giants by Nick Haynes (No. 7, midfielder, Frankston Bombers), Taylor Adams (No. 13, inside midfielder/forward, St Joseph's), Devon Smith (No. 14, midfielder/small forward, Lara) and Tom Downie (No. 56, ruckman, Benalla).
Regional TAC Cup team Gippsland Power had three players drafted, with Phillip Island defender Sam Docherty the first to have his name called at No. 12.
Docherty, selected by the Brisbane Lions, is noted for his dash and is one of the most potent right-foot kicks in this year's draft.
The Lions' national talent manager Rob Kerr said Docherty gave the club a half-back option.
"I think that's an area we needed to strengthen our list,'' Kerr said.
"He's also a very good kick so that suits the modern game because you need those players that can set you up from defence.''
Docherty's Gippsland Power teammate Clay Smith (inside midfielder, Lucknow) was taken by the Western Bulldogs at No. 17, while Josh Tynan (defender, Garfield) is headed to Melbourne Football Club after he was drafted at No. 52.
Tynan will be joined at the Demons by Horsham Saints export Rory Taggert (medium forward), selected at No. 36.
St Kilda will also benefit from an injection of ex-VCFL talent after recruiting Jobe Watson's cousin Sebastian Ross (No. 25, medium midfielder, Horsham) and Jay Lever (No. 60, key defender, South Barwon).
Somerville export Todd Elton (ruck/forward) became the third former Mornington Peninsula Nepean league footballer drafted last night when he was selected at No. 26 by Richmond.
Sam Kerridge (No. 27, midfielder, Mildura) was the sole Bendigo Pioneers player selected last night, by Adelaide, while just one Murray Bushrangers player, Patrick Wearden (No. 47, tall forward, Kyabram), made the cut.
Wearden is headed to the Brisbane Lions, with Kerr pleased with the selection.
"(Wearden) hasn't really been in a high-intensity footy program, being a country boy,'' Kerr said.
"He showed us over the year quite a good ability to manoeuvre his way in traffic.''
Cobden's Jackson Merrett (outside midfielder), the great nephew of Collingwood legend Thorold Merrett, is headed to Essendon after he was drafted at No. 31.
He will be joined at the Bombers by Carngham-Linton's Nicholas O'Brien (forward) who was snapped up at No. 59.
Edithvale-Aspendale's Jordan Kelly was Hawthorn's only country selection, calling the tall defender's name at No. 38.
The Hawks' recruiting and list manager Graham Wright said the 18-year-old would be versatile for the Hawks down back.
"Jordan can play either key defender or a rebounding defender role and...has a good combination of speed and endurance,'' Wright said.
"He shows great courage and is a really good user of the footy on both sides of his body.''
Two of the 20 country players drafted were from rural clubs playing in the metropolitan Riddell and District Football League.
Riddells Creek's Thomas Sheridan (No. 16, medium midfielder) is headed for Fremantle, while Macedon's Daniel Markworth (No. 35, lead-up forward, utility) will start his AFL career at St Kilda.
Fremantle general manager of player management Brad Lloyd said Sheridan would take time to develop but would eventually fit well into the Dockers' midfield group.
"Tom comes in as an elite endurance runner,'' Lloyd said.
"He's really clean, uses the ball well and has good composure.''
