By Jonty Ralphsmith
Last weekend’s Colgate Young Guns v Vic Metro clash in Werribee was a statement game from Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Jai Culley.
Culley’s 17 and 18-year-old opponents couldn’t lay a hand on him.
Eligible for the mid-season draft on Wednesday 1 June, 13 clubs nominated to watch Culley as the game provided scouts with an opportunity to assess the best young talent pitted against each other.
The 19-year-old vindicated the hype with contested marks and excellent disposal by hand and foot in a first half masterclass.
That’s before you mention his four goals.
The best of that quartet saw him use his trademark raking kick to receive a handball and convert on the run from 55.
“He’s certainly the best 19-year-old in the NAB League – there’s no doubt about that,” Rays coach Nick Cox said, admitting his bias.
He did all that with no competitive footy under his belt since Dandenong’s round 2 clash on Sunday 10 April due to a minor shoulder injury.
He fell away in the second half after receiving a heavy hit midway through the match – and probably owing to a lack of match-fitness after his time on the sidelines – but by then there was no way back for Vic Metro.
“He was super clean, used his size and strength well in contests, he was physical and he just executed really well and made things look very smooth and very easy,” Young Guns coach Matt O’Connor said.
“He was clearly at the level if not setting a standard for the level.”
While Culley’s hardness and bodywork were eye-catching, his work-rate has been equally pleasing for Cox this season.
In 2021, he averaged 11 disposals and a goal from his nine games, playing as a medium forward but lacked the conditioning to reach his potential in the midfield.
This year Culley has the tank to play as a grunt inside midfielder and has turned his size into muscle after a vigorous offseason with Dandenong Strength and Conditioning coach Ben Benson.
That work has translated into more opportunities for possession, greater cleanliness and more balanced running patterns.
“From where he has come from to where he is now – he has just learnt to train like an elite player and credit to him for the stuff he has done away from us,” Cox said.
“If he can’t impact a contest he’s getting into a position defensively or offensively to be involved in the next chain of possession.”
The Rays have known what Culley has been capable of for a little while.
He didn’t have the linear journey through the Dandenong ranks, missing the cut for the under 16s squad, but then Dandenong talent manager Darren Flanigan and Cox found their man on a wet night in 2019.
Culley’s game in an interleague bout at Lloyd Park in Langwarrin was a microcosm of the traits that have given him a supreme reputation in the NAB League.
He retains his laid-back spark, but now with greater perspective and professionalism, Culley would fit right in on an AFL list according to Cox.
The coach believes he is a consummate teammate, a perspective shared by fellow Stingrays midfielder Nick Collier.
“At training, Jai drives the standard with his hard work and competitive nature and is very mature in the way he conducts himself,” Collier said.
“At the same time, [he is] always up for a chat and is a great person to talk to as he seems legitimately interested in what you do and where you are from.
“He is looked up to by the group because of his large presence – when the game is tough, everyone knows Jai will be up for the challenge.”
On the field, performances like Saturday reinforce why he has recruiters’ tongues wagging.
“He’s 192 (centimetres), strong, kicks it well, marks it strongly overhead and is really aggressive around the footy,” Cox said.
“He really is the prototype of what midfielders look like at the AFL level now.”
