The mature-aged VFL defender ready for an AFL chance

Former Port Adelaide coach and current Southport Sharks VFL coach Matthew Primus believes several of his players have the potential to be drafted in 2025.

Speaking on SEN Breakfast, Primus was hesitant to single out names but acknowledged there were multiple prospects to watch.

“There’d be a couple… If I don’t name them all, they would be angry at me at training tonight,” he joked.

One player he was particularly confident in is defender Nick Williams.

“We’ve got a backman, Nick Williams, who’s a 21-year-old. He’s a really good defender (and) interceptor,” Primus said.

Beyond Williams, Primus believes several of his players have attributes suited for AFL level.

“A lot of these guys have attributes that you can see are good for AFL level,” he said.

“You always think, if they could be in a 24-hour professional environment, how much better can they be.”

When asked about potential draftees, Primus was optimistic.

“We have a couple (who could get drafted), and Nick’s certainly one of them.”

He also highlighted the pathway for mature players, referencing recent success stories from Werribee VFL.

“We’ve got a few more mature ones (who) I’m sure would be able to do what a few of those Werribee guys have been able to do this year with Melbourne and Sydney,” he said, pointing to recent draftees Aidan Johnson (Melbourne Demons) and Riley Bice (Sydney Swans).

With Southport’s strong VFL program, Primus is confident his players will make their mark in this year’s AFL draft.