Tireless Roo in AFL contention

CLARENCE’S Fraser Turner’s surge into draft selection continues with the Roos flyer one of four Tasmanians invited to October’s AFL draft combine.

Turner, along with Tarryn Thomas (North Launceston), Chayce Jones (Launceston) and Nick Baker (Lauderdale) are four of 80 invitees.

Each player must have interest from at least three AFL clubs to earn an invitation.

Turner put in a stunning season for both Tasmania and the Allies, with running data that would have left AFL players in his wake, AFL Tasmania southern talent manager Mathew Armstrong said.

“He came back from the under-16s last year and he’s been a different kid, a different athlete,” Armstrong said.

“He’s running 161m per minute in some games.

“In the AFL it is 149m a minute.

“His running capabilities are phenomenal.

“With the possibility of less rotations in the AFL, players like him really come into contention.”

Baker is another who has changed positions, starting as a midfielder but becoming an intercept defender throughout the season.

“He has got a lot of courage and he worked incredibly hard on his kicking throughout the year and that has improved enormously and his decision making,” Armstrong said.

He said he always would like more invited to the combine, but hoped the likes of Mitch Anderton (Lauderdale), Lachlan Gadomski (Tigers), Matt McGuinness (Lauderdale) and Rhyan Mansell (Launceston) would be invited to the state combine in Melbourne after the draft combine.