VAFA boys find their way onto AFL lists

After playing in the VAFA this season, Luke Lloyd (De La Salle), Harvey Johnston (Parkdale Vultures), Calsher Dear (Beaumaris), and Kynan Brown (Old Geelong) are now on AFL lists, selected as part of this week’s AFL Draft and AFL Rookie Draft.

Lloyd shot to stardom earlier in season 2023 when playing for De La Salle in the ACC, he kicked 19 goals in a game. He made his senior debut with the Old Boys against Ajax in Round 3 kicking a goal.

In 2024 he will be at the Brisbane Lions after the club took him with pick #42. 

Despite an injury interrupted season which cost him the chance to play in the National Championships with Vic Metro, Lloyd had a solid back end of the year with the Sandringham Dragons and was a key component of their Premiership team.

“While Luke has the ability to impact the game through multiple facets of play and will provide another dimension to our forward half.

“He is strong overhead and has high-end Forward 50 game IQ.” Brisbane Lions National Recruiting Manager Stephen Conole said on the club’s website. 

The West Coast Eagles were in focus on the opening night of the Draft by selecting Harley Reid with the number one pick, they opened up night two selecting Archer Reid. All of that before they got to pick #49 and chose Parkdale Vultures’ Harvey Johnston. 

Johnston made his senior debut with the Vultures in season 2022 and earned a VAFA Rising Star nomination. The Vultures described him at the time as a “Collingwood 6-footer.” 

Johnston became an influential player for the Sandringham Dragons during their Coates Talent League premiership success, averaging 17.5 disposals and 3.5 tackles a game, and had a taste at VFL level in two matches for Sandringham.

Hawthorn showed there’s still plenty of room for romance in footy using pick #56 to select Calsher Dear. Dear is the son of 1991 Norm Smith Medallist Paul who played 123 games for Hawthorn between 1987 – 1996. 

Paul was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer in September 2020 and was told his condition was incurable and terminal, but dared to hope he could be the exception.

After a 21-month battle, Dear passed away in July 2022, at the age of 55.

Calsher has been paving his own way, playing with Beaumaris through the under 19’s, in 2023 he was able to play nine games amassing 47 goals with an average just above five goals a game.

A terrific outing at the Talent League Grand Final, where he kicked the first goal of the game, saw the youngster earn an AFL Draft State Combine invitation.

Continuing on the father-son theme, Melbourne went to yesterday’s Rookie Draft and used pick #22 on Kynan Brown from Old Geelong. 

Brown’s father Nathan played 146 games for the Demons between 1998 – 2007. He is widely known in the VAFA as one of the longest serving coaches of Old Melburnians, and the current coach of Old Geelong. 

Kynan played four matches in his fathers side during 2023 and was named in the best three times. 

Brown is a chip off the old block with his contested game and tackling among his strengths, with his consistent play for Vic Metro earning him the side’s best and fairest for his play at the National Carnival.

The Demons have got a good look at the 181cm midfielder, who trained with the club earlier this season and pulled on the red and blue twice already this year for the Casey Demons in the VFL, kicking a major in both appearances.

Congratulations to these four players selected and everyone within the VAFA community is looking forward to watching these next generation of stars ply their trade in the big league.