Vandeleur, Johnson selected in AFL Rookie Draft

TOM Vandeleur and Blaine Johnson have both been selected in Wednesday’s AFL Rookie Draft with the exciting young pair joining Fremantle and Carlton respectively.

With Vandeleur and Johnson both being picked up in the Rookie Draft, it means that South Fremantle has provided four players to the AFL system this year after Cameron McCarthy (Greater Western Sydney Giants) and Dylan Main (West Coast) were both selected in last Thursday’s National Draft.

It caps off an outstanding year for the South Fremantle Football Club that saw the colts make a third straight WAFL grand final, the reserves with the premiership and the league side build for the future with a host of exciting young players showing encouraging signs for the future.

Quality young defender Vandeleur was the first South Fremantle player taken in the AFL’s Rookie Draft on Wednesday morning when the Fremantle Dockers selected him with pick No. 32.

His fellow former colts premiership teammate and 2013 league debutant Johnson then joined him in the AFL system when he was selected at pick No. 43 by Carlton.

Even though it means that both will now not be available to play with South Fremantle in 2014 with Vandeleur forced to unfortunately play with Peel Thunder and Johnson moving to Melbourne, the Bulldogs are proud and excited to see the pair enter the AFL system.

Vandeleur was a South Fremantle colts premiership player in 2012 and then stepped up when called upon to make his WAFL league debut in Round 1 of 2013 despite not having even trained with the senior side.

The 18-year-old acquitted himself well in the back-line against the reigning premier Claremont as well and even though that would be his only appearance in the league side for 2013, he had an outstanding year overall.

He represented Western Australia in the National 18s Championships and was a star in the colts team that again made the grand final before eventually suffering a narrow defeat to Claremont.

Vandeleur also played five reserves matches with the Bulldogs in 2013 to go with his league debut, eight colts games and appearances with the WA 18s team.

Despite being just 18, the Gascoyne-native is strongly built for his age and is a good size at 191cm so can player either as a key position player, or is quick and nimble enough to also play in a back pocket or half-back flank.

Johnson, meanwhile, spends his time at the opposite end of the ground than Vandeleur and is a tremendously clever, and skilful small/medium-sized forward.

With Carlton losing small forward Eddie Betts heading into the 2014 AFL season, there could very well be a role there for Johnson to fill if he quickly adjusts to life at the Blues under his new coach Mick Malthouse.

The 18-year-old from Kwinana kicked two goals in the 2012 colts grand final win over East Fremantle and started 2013 in the colts as well leading into his strong performances for WA in the 18s Championships.

Despite just playing nine colts games in 2013, he was named in the WAFL Colts Team of the Year.

Late in the season he began playing senior football with the reserves side and after kicking three goals from 19 possessions in Round 22, he was picked for his league debut the following week.

He didn’t set the world on fire in that game at Fremantle Oval against East Perth, but Johnson was terrific in his second game with 18 possessions and three goals against Perth.

Johnson then returned to the reserves line-up for the finals campaign and won the Merv McIntosh Medal for a best on ground performance in the grand final win over West Perth after he kicked five goals from eight kicks.

With good skills and a natural goal sense, Johnson very well could shine at AFL level.

By Chris Pike