North Melbourne's Harry Sheezel assisting Ryley Sanders' AFL draft dreams

Thankfully for North Launceston product Ryley Sanders, his friendship with North Melbourne's Harry Sheezel is helping set up the next step of his football career.

Last year's number three draft pick Sheezel broke the AFL's record for most disposals after four games (127), with the pair having played together in last year's NAB League premiership for Sandringham.

"He's always messaging me to see how I'm going, if he sees that I've played well statistically and says well done," Sanders said.

"It's great having him there because I just ask him heaps of questions because he's gone through what I'm going through with the [AFL] Academy and the [national] champs."

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Having also played alongside Will Ashcroft (pick 2) and Cam Mackenzie (pick 7), Sanders admitted their performances at AFL level have given him confidence that he could hold his own if drafted later this year.

The 18-year-old did his draft chances no harm on Sunday, opening the national championships by collecting 36 disposals, seven clearances and two goals in the Allies' win over South Australia.

Put that together with several 50-plus-disposal performances for his school Melbourne Grammar and Sanders' hopes are gaining traction.

"The national champs are a big step up from Coates Talent League and school footy so I was glad that I performed pretty strongly," Sanders said.

"I'm just more focused on playing to my strengths and being able to find the ball and then using it well but also get forward and kick a couple of goals."

Having regularly put up high-disposal performances this season, finding the football is one of Sanders' main strengths as well as his composure and ability to distribute the ball by hands.

The son of Northern Tasmanian football royalty Adam has worked tirelessly on his running and ability to find the scoreboard as he looks to iron out any weaknesses.

Debuting for North Launceston as a 15-year-old, Sanders' last game for the Bombers was the 2021 grand final before he moved to Melbourne in 2022.

Accepting a scholarship at Melbourne Grammar, he described the move as "a really hard decision".

"I love Tassie, I love the AFL Tas program and I love North [Launceston] but with how much talent there is at Sandringham, the amount of kids that get drafted and especially with schooling as well at Melbourne Grammar - it's all quite prestigious," he said.

"It was quite hard at the start with homesickness but as soon as we started playing footy it was good."

Sanders was joined in Sunday's Allies team by fellow Tasmanian talents Colby McKercher, James Leake, Thomas Beaumont and Jack Callinan.

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