Max Kondogiannis (Old Carey) and Willem Duursma (Foster) at the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft Combine in Melbourne. Image: Asanka Ratnayake and Graham Denholm/AFL Photos
AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan has released profiles on the top defenders ahead of the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft.
This year’s Telstra AFL Draft will be held on Wednesday, November 19 and Thursday, November 20. The 2025 Telstra AFL Rookie Draft will follow on Friday, November 21.
Sheehan's player profiles will be released via positional group each week ahead of the Draft. This week’s edition highlights the defenders in this year’s Draft pool.
All players profiled attended the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft Combine or 2025 Telstra AFL State Draft Combine in October.
Keep updated with all the latest news ahead of the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft at the AFL Draft Hub.
Below are the Victorian boys profiles, click here for profiles from all other states and territories.
NATIONAL DRAFT COMBINE
Finnegan Davis
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Western Jets
Community Club: Williamstown CYMS
Date of Birth: 21/01/2007
Height: 188cm
Medium defender with speed to burn, Davis can match up well on both smaller and bigger opponents using his athletic prowess to compete both in the air and at ground level. He is a hard-working and adaptable player who displayed dominant form in the Coates Talent League for the Western Jets, where he averaged 27.7 disposals at 78 percent efficiency to finish runner-up in their best and fairest award. Won a place in Victoria Metro’s final two games at the National Championships, where he averaged 12 disposals against the Allies and Victoria Country.
Harry Dean
State: Victoria Country
State League Club: Murray Bushrangers
Community Club: Lavington
Date of Birth: 13/11/2007
Height: 194cm
A left-footed tall defender, Dean intercepts well with his great ability to read the cues and instinctively know when to mark or spoil. Rarely beaten in one-on-one contests, he uses the ball neatly on the way out with his good decision-making and precise kicking. Had been impossible to rate until this year after missing the U16 National Championships in 2023 due to injury then breaking his arm on debut with the Murray Bushrangers in his bottom-aged year in 2024. He burst onto the scene early in the 2025 season with his overhead marking and clean ball handling outstanding for the Bushrangers. Dean had an outstanding National Championships campaign for Victoria Country, averaging 15.2 disposals at 85 percent efficiency and 6.2 marks to be named at full back in the All Australian Team after being amongst his team’s best players in all four matches. He continued an extremely promising year in the Coates Talent League, averaging 17.4 disposals and seven marks to also win Team of the Year honours. Did not test at the Draft Combine while managing a shoulder injury. He is the son of Carlton dual premiership player Peter and is eligible to join the Blues as a father-son selection.
Willem Duursma
State: Victoria Country
State League Club: Gippsland Power
Community: Foster
Date of Birth: 21/06/2007
Height: 193cm
A versatile defender/midfielder, Duursma had an outstanding Draft year at every level with his aerial strength, precise kicking and versatility all great strengths. An All Australian at under 16 level in 2023, he produced an exciting bottom-aged year at club and representative levels in 2024. Didn’t miss a beat this year, producing a dominant campaign for the Gippsland Power, averaging 23.5 disposals, to win their best and fairest award as well as being selected as captain of the Coates Talent League Team of the Year. At representative level he was a playmaker for Victoria Country, averaging 24.2 disposals at 75 percent efficiency and 5.2 marks across the National Championships to win All Australian honours. Duursma’s best on ground performance in his team’s win over Victoria Metro in the final game of the Championships not only guaranteed him Victoria Country’s MVP award, but set him apart from most others in Draft contention. Tested impressively at the Draft Combine with his 6:19 seconds for the 2km time trial ranking sixth and his running vertical jump of 87cm ranking inside the top ten. He will become the fourth sibling from the Duursma clan to make it to the top level, joining older brothers Xavier (Essendon) and Zane (North Melbourne) and sister Yasmin (Carlton). Another graduate of the Marsh AFL National Academy.
Max Kondogiannis
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Oakleigh Chargers
Community Club: Old Carey
Date of Birth: 14/11/2007
Height: 190cm
Defender who greatly benefited from a strong pre-season program, Kondogiannis developed this year into one of the best players of his type in the Draft pool. Reads the cues very early to intercept then has an attacking impact with his precise ball use and rebound speed. Still has a massive upside physically but was a model of consistency with the Oakleigh Chargers, averaging 18.6 disposals in six matches in the Coates Talent League. Was one of Victoria Metro’s best in its National Championships win over Western Australia and its loss to Victoria Country. Averaged 18.8 disposals in four Championships matches and looked very composed at the level.
Josh Lindsay
State: Victoria Country
State League Club: Geelong Falcons
Community Club: Newtown & Chilwell
Date of Birth: 07/04/2007
Height: 183cm
A left-footed defender with a lethal boot, Lindsay has been a strong performer across recent years. Won the medal as Team Heppell’s best player in the Marsh AFL National Futures match last year and then added the medal as the Australia U18 team’s best player in its win over VFL side Coburg this year. He continued his excellent form into the National Championships with Victoria Country, using his speed and crisp decision making to set up the play from the back half. Courageous in the air and a standout leader, he averaged 21.8 disposals at 76 percent efficiency and was among his team’s best players against both Western Australia and South Australia. Capped his year by winning All Australian honours and being named in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year.
Oskar Taylor
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Eastern Ranges
Community Club: South Belgrave
Date of Birth: 01/08/2007
Height: 183cm
Medium defender and midfielder with explosive speed and a penetrating left foot who went from strength to strength as the year unfolded. Taylor is a strong one-on-one player with a defend first mindset who grew in confidence as the season progressed to earn a late call-up to the national Draft Combine with a string of outstanding performances. Played a major role in the Eastern Ranges premiership win in the Coates Talent League, averaging 20.5 disposals in 17 matches. Had a great final series to top off a breakout year and finished runner-up in the Ranges’ best and fairest award. Showed elite athletic qualities at the Draft Combine, producing the quickest 20m sprint with a time of 2.82 seconds and ranking second on the agility test with a time of 7.84 seconds.
Xavier Taylor
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Eastern Ranges
Community Club: East Ringwood
Date of Birth: 30/01/2007
Height: 192cm
An attacking defender who had an outstanding Draft year, Taylor is strong overhead and a fierce competitor who is rarely beaten one-on-one. Loves to take the game on with his preparedness to back his neat kicking. He’s also an aggressive tackler and a fine intercept mark who grew in confidence as his performances and the occasions went up a notch. It culminated in a best on ground showing for the Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League Grand Final, where he accumulated 25 disposals and 15 marks to steer his side to premiership victory. Capable of playing on various types of opponents, Taylor also impressed with Victoria Metro in the National Championships. He played all four matches, averaging 15 disposals, and was among his team’s best in their loss to eventual title winner South Australia. His fine season was rewarded with selection in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year, as well as winning the Ranges’ best and fairest award. Produced an outstanding 7.97 for the agility test at the national Draft Combine, which ranked third overall.
STATE DRAFT COMBINE
Rod Ali
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Eastern Ranges
Community Club: Mitcham
Date of Birth: 11/01/2006
Height: 186cm
Medium defender with Sudanese heritage, Ali continued his development as an overaged player with the Eastern Ranges this year. He played an important role as an intercepting and negating defender in their premiership-winning team, starring in their run to the Grand Final with impressive finals performances against the Calder Cannons and Western Jets. Plays taller than his height might suggest, with his natural leap and spoiling features of his game. Averaged 9.1 disposals at 81% efficiency, 3.6 marks and 2.4 tackles across the Coates Talent League season. Looks still to have plenty of upside and earned a couple of games at VFL level with Collingwood during the season. Was the star athlete at the state Draft Combine testing day in Melbourne, with his running vertical jump of 105cm ranked in the top bracket of all-time. Also produced elite bracket results in the 20m sprint recording 2.89 seconds and the agility test which he completed in 7.96 seconds.
Jacob Marron
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Western Jets
Community Club: Yarraville Seddon Eagles
Date of Birth: 27/11/2007
Height: 196cm
Mobile tall defender who excels in the contest and is rarely beaten one-on-one. Marron uses his big frame to hold his ground and has a good feel for when to mark or spoil. His consistent early season form for the Western Jets in the Coates Talent League saw him added to the Victoria Metro squad for the National Championships and he better than held his own throughout the four matches. Marron doesn’t turn 18 until late November and still has plenty of physical development in him as he hones his defensive craft.
Ben Rongdit
State: Victoria Country
State League Club: Geelong Falcons
Community Club: Colac
Date of Birth: 10/05/2007
Height: 184cm
A left-footed mid-sized defender, Rongdit caught the eye while playing for Victoria Country at the U16 National Championships in 2023. His natural leap and ability to intercept the footy were both impressive as he averaged 12 disposals and seven tackles across three matches at the carnival. Both of his past two years have been interrupted by injury, hindering his development. However, he did play some impressive football in the APS competition for Geelong Grammar and represented Team Sloane in the Marsh AFL National Futures match last season. Rongdit shone brightly with his running vertical jump during pre-season testing, with a 97cm leap ranking him fourth nationally but he was unable to test at the Draft Combine while recovering from a knee injury. He is a member of Geelong’s Next Generation Academy given his Sudanese heritage and was also part of the Marsh AFL National Academy.
Mitchell Stevens
State: Victoria Country
State League Club: Gippsland Power
Community Club: Heyfield
Date of Birth: 15/08/2007
Height: 186cm
An emerging medium defender, Stevens can play on a range of forwards given his competitive edge, strength in the air and commitment to the task at hand. A damaging kick and very good decision maker, he thrived after being switched from the forward line to defence last year. Continued to progress with his development this year, playing three matches for Victoria Country at the National Championships, averaging 16.3 disposals. Was also very consistent for the Gippsland Power in the Coates Talent League, averaging 16.9 disposals, 3.6 marks and 5.5 tackles. Was very sharp at state Draft Combine testing, recording 2.86 seconds for the 20m sprint and then 8.16 seconds for the agility test, with both results in the top bracket. He is the son of Mark Stevens, who was drafted to North Melbourne before being traded to Adelaide, where he played 101 games and was a premiership player in 1998. That makes Mitch eligible to join the Crows under father-son rules.
Rory Wright
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Sandringham Dragons
Community Club: Caulfield Grammarians
Date of Birth: 02/06/2007
Height: 184cm
A left-footed medium defender/midfielder, Wright played some very good football through the midfield early in the year before finding a real niche across half back in the second half of the season. Wins clearances with his clean hands and vision at stoppages and showed he can use his aerial ability and courage in the air to intercept down back, as well as rebound with his pinpoint kicking. Had an excellent year with the Sandringham Dragons, averaging 25.5 disposals and 5.6 marks in 11 matches and was among his team’s best throughout their finals campaign. Finished third in the Dragons best and fairest award and applied his talents while representing Victoria Metro at the National Championships, averaging 13 disposals across four matches.
Previously
Smalls
Midfielders