AFL draft 2021: East Perth forward Jye Amiss firming as first West Australian picked in national draft

WA Football Commission State talent manager Adam Jones has predicted East Perth sharpshooter Jye Amiss to be the first West Aussie called out in the AFL national draft on November 24. The deadly-accurate 195cm key forward from Busselton enjoyed a breakout WAFL colts campaign, kicking a competition-high 51.15 to storm up the draft calculations. Jones felt the classy left-footer’s upside, having travelled from the South West for games and training, and the lack of tall forwards Australia-wide, has him marginally ahead of Subiaco midfielders Neil Erasmus and Matt Johnson. MORE: “I’d probably have to say Jye being a key forward, I’m not sure if there’s a great number of them in the draft this year,” Jones told the Hard Ball Gets AFL Podcast draft special. “Certainly being an exciting key-forward prospect with a heap of upside, he’s still living in Busselton and finishing Year 12 this year. “I think the value held in key forwards might mean that he’s called out first. He’s a beautiful set shot. He waned a little bit as the season wore on but he was certainly starting to fatigue. “I think Jye and Johnno have got some interest from the clubs in the top-10 mark and Neil. “We did a 2km time trial for some of the injured guys that didn’t participate in the combine and Neil ran that and recorded a time of 6.14 which was the best for WA across the board.” Jones urged Fremantle and West Coast, who have three top-10 picks between them to go with another in the top-20, to go local in the draft, saying there was “no better year” for it. The Dockers currently have picks six, eight and 19, while the Eagles will start their national draft with selection 10. “We always love seeing our WA boys stay local and there’s no better year for West Coast and Freo to go local,” Jones said. “I’m sure with the Dockers, after losing Adam Cerra to Carlton this year, that’ll be on the forefront of their mind to potentially stay local. “No doubt I think the WA clubs will be licking their lips that they can get their hands on some of our WA boys. “If they’re looking forward a key forward, Jye is the man, while Johnno is a very similar type to Adam Cerra and has some comparisons also with Scott Pendlebury with his composure and beautiful skills and got size at 192cm. “Neil is at about the 190cm mark, has an elite engine and is one of the highest achievers we’ve got in WA this year. “He’s just a super driven and very organised young man. He didn’t get the chance to participate at national level this year, but at the midway point of the year State 19s coach Marc Webb and myself both believed Neil was our best prospect at that point. “I’m sure the WA clubs would love to get their hands on one of those three.” Jones said Amiss, Erasmus and Johnson may not be the only WA players picked in the first round of the draft with Claremont swingman Jacob van Rooyen getting plenty of late interest. “He’s getting a very good amount of interest from clubs,” Jones said. “I don’t think there’s too many key-position prospects in the draft from what I’m hearing and because he can play forward and back, he’d be really appealing. “He’s a super competitive kid, works his absolute backside off in games and is a really strong character and leader, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he went in the first round. “Then guys like (South Fremantle small forward) Jesse Motlop and (Swan Districts defender) Rhett Bazzo, they’re probably the next two that might be a first-round chance.” From a Next Generation Academy point of view, Jones expects Claremont and Kununurra ruck Eric Benning to get to Fremantle but not Motlop who is attracting enough interest from rival clubs for a bid inside the top 40. West Coast have opted against nominating NGA talent Ethan Regan from East Perth, but it is not yet been confirmed if they will do the same with Subiaco and Hale School small goalsneak Richard Farmer. East Fremantle colts skipper Taj Woewodin, the son of Brownlow medallist Shane, is set to follow his dad’s famous footsteps to Melbourne after the club nominated him as a potential father-son selection ahead of the national. Jones felt Subiaco vice-captain Greg Clark, 24, was WA’s leading mature-aged candidate after capping off a career-best season with his third premiership and a Simpson Medal as best-afield in the grand final. West Perth defender Noah Pegoraro, who earned his second draft combine invite this year, Claremont’s Sandover medallist Bailey Rogers and South Fremantle swingman Blake Schlensog are also in the mix.