While the  2013 NAB AFL Draft officially gets underway today, Gold Coast SUNS List & Strategy Manager Scott Clayton has spent the better half of the Premiership Season assessing this year’s top draft prospects.

Clayton and fellow list manager Dom Ambrogio have traversed the country more times than they can remember, their search for the next big thing taking them to some of Australia’s Football fields .

“We have been travelling across the country, to every state, interviewing likely candidates,” Clayton told goldcoastfc.com.au.

“The quality of young men we have interviewed have made it an exciting process.”

And the master scout will have a stock of quality picks at his drafting disposals in November, with the Gold Coast’s 14^th Premiership seed granting them pick No.5 in the national prized pool.

The Club’s decision to activate their end-of-first-round compensation pick (originally awarded to Adelaide for the loss of Nathan Bock) will also see the GC SUNS with two picks inside the first round (No. 18), and also an early second round selection (No. 23).

With Jack Martin to be promoted onto the senior list, and the three incoming draftees, there’ll wont be any shortage of depth on the SUNS List. 

“We’ve got three picks in the early 20’s, with our first pick starting to No. 5,” Clayton said.

“We’ve activated a pick at the end of the first round and also hold pick 23 – so we’re looking forward to the draft.”

Although Clay Cameron’s inaugural season in the AFL was largely hampered by lingering hip complaints, fellow 2012 draftees in Jesse Lonergan and Timmy Sumner enjoyed credible debut seasons.

Despite missing the opening six Premiership rounds and the bulk of the second-half through wrist and hamstring injuries, Lonergan showed plenty of promise as a high half-forward and inside midfielder, while Sumner’s thirst for First Grade action saw the South Australian utility cement a spot in the forward pocket – notching up eleven senior appearances. 

Clayton said the national combine would be a great opportunity for the Gold Coast to examine all top draft hopefuls, and further scope their identified preferences. 

“There is about 100 or so athletes that will turn up at Etihad Stadium and it is a terrific opportunity to second interview some of the talent, which will all be mentally and physically tested,” he said.

“It will be great to start dusting up and seeing which available talent is on offer.”