Brandon Leary is pushing his case at the Hawks.Credit:AFL Photos
North Launceston goalsneak Brandon Leary is training at Hawthorn in the hope of landing the final spot on the club’s list.
The 177-centimetre forward was overlooked in the drafts again after playing as an ‘over-ager’ for Tasmania’s under-18 team, but is set for an extended summer audition after starting training at Waverley Park on Monday.
Delisted Cat Quinton Narkle, who played 41 games for Geelong between 2018 and 2022, has also officially kicked off his training stint with Richmond as he bids to keep his AFL career alive.
Leary kicked 33 goals from 55 scoring shots in 14 games for the Devils, with only top-two picks Aaron Cadman and Harry Sheezel bettering that tally among NAB League footballers.
The 19-year-old lives with his aunt and uncle in Launceston but will move to Melbourne if things go how he hopes in the coming months, when Hawthorn could sign him in the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP).
Leary is considered a natural footballer and is as adept at marking the Sherrin as crumbing it at ground level, with Jamie Elliott and Cody Weightman his AFL comparisons.
Quinton Narkle hopes to continue his AFL career with Richmond.Credit:AFL Photos
He has had to work hard on improving the defensive side of his game, which remains a work in progress.
Four Tasmanians – Lachie Cowan (Carlton), Tom McCallum (Port Adelaide), Seth Campbell (Richmond) and Cameron Owen (Sydney Swans) – were selected across this year’s national and rookie drafts.
Ex-Carlton defender Liam Stocker is training with St Kilda.Credit:AFL Photos
The Hawks and Tigers are among the nine AFL clubs with at least one list opening, including Collingwood, Fremantle, Geelong, Gold Coast, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs and St Kilda.
The Saints, who are trialling ex-Bomber Josh Eyre and former Blue Liam Stocker, are the only club with two vacancies.
Clubs can choose to leave the spot open until the mid-season draft, or not fill it at all.
Joining Narkle at Tigerland is 195-centimetre forward Kaelan Bradtke, from Corowa-Rutherglen, while ex-Power speedster Trent Burgoyne, son of Peter, and Old Haileybury key defender Kye Turner are training at Melbourne.
West Adelaide big man Oscar Steene is training with the ruck-needy Magpies, while Gippsland Power’s Liam Serong – brother of AFL footballers Caleb and Jai – and Perth’s Sam Stubbs are doing the same at Fremantle.
Boyd Woodcock, who made 12 appearances for Port Adelaide, Brodie McLaughlin and Academy prospect Brinn Little are jockeying for the Suns’ open spot after they signed ex-Roo and Hawk Jed Anderson last week.
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