AFL Draft: Connor Blakely, Tobe Watson, Bailey Rogers and more South West hopefuls nominate for draft

Dumped pair Damon Greaves and Tobe Watson and Sandover Medalist Bailey Rogers are among a host of South West footballers hoping to find themselves on an AFL list this week. They join Fremantle midfielder Connor Blakely, who the Dockers have committed to reselecting, on the list, which was released today. Busselton and East Perth forward Jye Amiss looks the best of the fresh prospects looking to launch their professional careers, and is a chance to land at Fremantle with their first pick in the draft. His East Perth teammates Kade Dittmar and James Tunstill are also a chance to have their names read out, as is former Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault player Brady Hough. Hough shot in to draft calculations with a stellar debut season at colts level for Peel Thunder, earning him State selection and a league debut. Donnybrook product Watson played 14 games for Fremantle over two years and was a surprising casualty having played half of the club’s games this season. AFL DRAFT HUB: HIGHLIGHTS, STATS AND PROFILES FOR TOP HOPEFULS It appears unlikely he will return to the Dockers with the club committing to reselecting both Blakely and Mitch Crowden, but an opportunity elsewhere could be on the cards. Similarly, Greaves was dumped by Hawthorn after playing seven games this year — the 21-year-old leaving the club as it embarks on a rebuild under new coach Sam Mitchell. He is expected to sign with his former WAFL club East Perth for the 2022 season. Rogers, who was born in Bunbury before moving to Perth and joining Claremont, won the prestigious Sandover Medal this season and will look to become a mature-aged draft pick later this week. If he is selected, he would join the likes of Kane Mitchell, Hayden Ballantyne and Matt Priddis to be drafted after winning the award. Rhett Bazzo, the son of the late Bunbury football legend Steve, has also nominated and is expected to be taken late in the draft. The region is in line for its biggest draft crop since 2009, which saw Anthony Morabito taken with Fremantle’s pick four and multiple premiership players Ben Stratton and Lewis Jetta taken alongside Aaron Black and Ashton Hams. The first round of the draft will take place on Wednesday night, with the remainder to be called on Thursday. South West AFL Draft nominees Jye Amiss, East Perth (Busselton) Connor Blakely, Fremantle (Bunbury) Kade Dittmar, East Perth (Augusta-Margaret River) Roy George, Peel Thunder (Bunbury) Tom Graham, East Perth (Donnybrook) Damon Greaves, East Perth/Hawthorn (Busselton) Brady Hough, Peel Thunder (Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault) Brodie Morris, Swan Districts (South Bunbury) Jacob Msando, East Perth (Busselton) Bailey Rogers, Claremont Ty Sears, Swan Districts (South Bunbury) Scott Tuia, Peel Thunder (Donnybrook) James Tunstill, East Perth (Busselton) Tobe Watson, Fremantle (Donnybrook)