FUTURE STARS IN HIS EYES

FOOTBALL development maestro Adrian Fletcher picked 13 Tassie Mariners in his Allies squad for the 2018 AFL National Under-18 championship and this weekend he will decide which players from his home state make the cut, as the AFL considers Hobart as a possible host for this year’s draft.

HE is one of the most experienced development coaches in Australia and former AFL gun Adrian Fletcher rates highly the Tasmanians selected in his Allies squad for this year’s AFL National Under-18 championship next month.

The 231-game onballer at Geelong, St Kilda, Brisbane and Fremantle, where he was captain, says this year’s Mariners were among the best he had seen from his home state. The withdrawal of Lachie Gadomski (stress fracture of the foot) yesterday left Fletcher with 12 Mariners in his initial squad of 48. Last year there were none.

They will gather in Melbourne tomorrow for the biggest job interview of their careers in front of every AFL recruiter in the business.

“I rate the Tassie boys really highly, and the top-end is very good,” Fletcher said. “We know one bloke [Tarryn Thomas] is going to make a big difference to North Melbourne when he gets there.

“Chayce Jones is going to be a classy player, and then there’s Fraser Turner and a lot of even types of players. It’s going to be interesting when the recruiters look at them.

“It’s a pretty good draft this year, so they are going to have to play well.”

The draft could take on added significance this year with Mariners star Thomas a top 10 prospect and the AFL believed to be considering Tasmania as a possible host.

The Allies squad will train at Gosch’s Paddock tomorrow and then be split into two teams for a match at Ikon Park on Sunday, from which an Allies squad of 32 will be chosen to play in the division-one championship against the big four — Vic Metro, Vic Country, SA and WA.

After his 13-year playing career ended in 2001, Fletcher learned his coaching craft under Leigh Matthews and Mick Malthouse. He is now talent manager for Queensland.

“It’s about giving back to the talent pathway — I am passionate about the Tassie players,” he said.

He was impressed that the Mariners went undefeated through the AFL Under-18 Academy series.

“It’s an amazing achievement for any state and they did it very convincingly,” he said.

The Allies are named on Tuesday.