Bendigo Pioneers duo Kobe Mutch and Joe Atley have taken another step towards achieving their football dream.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mutch and Atley have been invited to attend the AFL Draft Combine at Etihad Stadium in October.
80 players from across Australia will be tested on their athleticism and football skills in front of the 18 AFL clubs.
“They’ve both played state league footy and the national championships and they’ve both played some outstanding footy,’’ Bendigo Pioneers coach Brett Henderson said of Mutch and Atley.
“It’s their first step towards getting drafted. Going to the draft combine is no guarantee you’ll get drafted, but it’s a great opportunity for them.”
To earn an invitation to the draft combine a player must be nominated by at least five AFL clubs.
Players who were nominated by three clubs will attend a state-based draft combine.
Mutch and Atley have been on the radar for AFL clubs for some time and their performances at this year’s under-18 national championships strengthened their draft prospects.
Mutch, a member of the Greater Western Sydney Academy, was selected on the interchange bench for the All-Australian team after some standout performances for NSW/ACT and the Allies.
Atley, from Rochester, was one of Victoria Country’s best midfielders at the carnival.
“The Draft Combine is the final chance many clubs will have to see prospective players up close,” AFL national and international talent manager Kevin Sheehan said.
“Clubs will not only watch the testing but will conduct interviews with players as they count down to the 2016 NAB AFL Draft in Sydney.”
Henderson said the Pioneers were mindful of Mutch and Atley’s heavy workloads this year.
“They are on individually tailored programs, but we’ve also reached a point of the year where, as a team, our training loads have dipped down a little,’’ Henderson said.
Mutch and Atley will be key players for the Pioneers as they try to force their way into the TAC Cup finals.
After scoring an upset win over Oakleigh last weekend, the Pioneers are just one win out of the top eight heading into this Sunday’s home game against North Ballarat.
“We’ve managed to double the amount of wins we had last year which is a great achievement by everyone involved,’’ Henderson said.
“We’ve got some winnable games coming up and our season is still alive. Firstly, we have to worry about North Ballarat this Sunday.”