MELBOURNE secured five draftees and four rookies at the backend of 2018, and head of player development Matt Egan says they are developing well.

It has been a testing pre-season for the new recruits, but all the players are working hard to put themselves in a good position for 2019.

Egan provides an individual update on each of the club’s recruits.

Tom Sparrow

Pick No.27
DOB: 31-05-2000
Height: 182cm
Weight: 82kg

“Tom has a mature body and he has coped fine with the load this pre-season. He has fit into pre-season no worries and is a really good listener. He has a lot of people trying to help him which shows he has built some really good relationships with some of the boys already. He’s hungry to get better, every time he’s out on the track he’s doing extras after and understands what it takes to improve his game."

James Jordon

Pick No.33
DOB: 20-12-2000
Height: 187cm
Weight: 80kg

“James is in the defenders group at the moment. He’s is a good ball user and understands the game well. He picks up where the ball is tracking and always seems to be where the ball is going. He’s settled in really well and looks happy and comfortable here. He understands there’s always areas to improve so he’s already working on the parts of the game he needs to get better at and straight away he’s fixing things up, so he’ll improve really quickly.”

Aaron Nietschke

Pick No.53
DOB: 26-05-2000
Height: 184cm
Weight: 80kg

“He’s joined the defenders group also, even though he’s played a large part of his games as a midfielder. We see him as a versatile player moving forward. He’s got some strong mentors already taking him under his wing and helping him out. Aaron is serious about his footy and has a drive that will help him continually improve his game. He’s hungry and he’s here for a reason and we love what we see so far in Aaron."

Marty Hore

Pick No.56
DOB: 05-03-1996
Height: 189cm
Weight: 84kg

“I think his body is physically ready, he’s a beautiful kick and he reads the game really well. He’s only just joined in full training but he’s picked up our game style really well. He’s probably the happiest kid I’ve ever seen, he smiles more than anyone but he’s here for a reason – he wants to play AFL footy. He wants to be great and he’s only young and learning so we think for him it’s just about him believing he is capable."

Toby Bedford

Pick No.75
DOB: 27-05-2000
Height: 177cm
Weight: 69kg

“He’s another one who just looks really happy here. He’s comfortable at Melbourne and he’s a great kid. He’s really clear with what he needs to work on and he’s working on it. I think he will be a small forward with his pressure play and his tackling. He ran a really good time trial, so he has a good balance of endurance and speed.”

Kade Chandler

Rookie Draft
DOB: 13-01-2000
Height: 173cm
Weight: 75kg

“Kade’s a really bubbly personality and he’s going really well. He’s really enjoying being a forward and he’s got some really good foot skills. He can mark the ball for a little fella – he really jumps at it. He’s really clear on what he needs to work on and he keeps chipping away. He’s played senior footy before and he looks really comfortable here.”

Corey Wagner

Rookie
DOB: 13-03-1997
Height: 181cm
Weight: 78kg

“Corey’s going great guns at the moment. He obviously had an opportunity [at North Melbourne] and then last year had to work really hard to prove that he could play. He’s playing as a forward at the moment but his running ability has been a stand out. He runs up and back all day and his kicking has been elite, so he’s going really well.”

Guy Walker

Category-B rookie
DOB: 12-09-1995
Height: 184cm
Weight: 76kg

“He’s got a niggly shoulder but I think before that he showed that he has a lot to offer – he’s a beautiful kick. He’s going to take some time to build his body back and his strength, but I think he’ll be fine. He’s a leader in the David Neitz Academy, he’s a little bit older and he’s had some worldly experiences, so once he sorts his body out we look forward to seeing him grow as a footballer."

Austin Bradtke

Category-B rookie
DOB: 27-05-2000
Height: 204cm
Weight: 90kg

“Austin’s loving his change from basketball to football. He’s going to spend a lot of time with Max Gawn and Braydon Preuss, so he’s got some huge bodies to deal with, but Greg Stafford’s doing a heap of work with him. Whether he plays ruck or forward, we’ll work that out down the track, but we see him as a long-term project. We’ll build him slowly, get his body right and build up his confidence.”