Each week, ESPN.com.au AFL draft expert Christopher Doerre - aka Knightmare - casts his eye over the country's best junior footballers to give readers an early insight into the next generation of AFL stars.

As well as attending live games, Doerre pores through match vision, analyses the stats and talks to industry sources to ensure he can offer the most insightful draft analysis.

Aside from the weekly wrap, Doerre will also unveil his power rankings at the end of each month, starting from April.

And as we get closer to November's national draft, Doerre will also predict who goes where with his annual phantom draft.

Player focus

Potential first-round selection Hugh McCluggage continued to demonstrate his considerable talent on Sunday afternoon for the North Ballarat Rebels in their loss to the Murray Bushrangers. The 185cm midfielder finished the game with 25 disposals, five marks and a goal and also showcased his freakish ability throughout the game.

Hugh McCluggage of the Rebels glides past a Chargers opponent during the 2015 TAC Cup semifinal. Michael Dodge/AFL Media/Getty Images

The play that wowed onlookers the most was late in the third quarter, when McCluggage crumbed a ball that was brought to ground around 40m from goal, cleanly picked it up in traffic and in a blink of the eye sent the ball towards goal in a reflex action. Unfortunately for McCluggage, his kick was only a behind, but it was one of many glimpses of talent that McCluggage showed.

McCluggage also displayed his willingness to take the game on. On several occasions after marking the ball, he tried to generate quick offence rather than going back behind the mark - another AFL attribute which helps teams burst through opposition defences that don't have time to set up behind the ball, increasing scoring opportunities. On at least one occasion against the Bushrangers McCluggage found space in the centre and worked hard to be an option going forward.

But most central to his game is his work at stoppages, which also is outstanding. McCluggage has freakish ground-level ability. On several occasions, he won first possession from ruck contests and either generated quick clearances or delivered instant reflex handballs to team-mates in traffic. Unlike Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury, who waltzes through traffic like his opponents are in slow-motion, McCluggage appears to speed-up the play he's involved in, moving the ball at lightning pace through hand and foot. He has genuine hurt factor and good evasive ability.

His starring role for the Rebels follows a similarly exciting performance for the AIS AFL Academy against VFL side Werribee recently. As well as demonstrating his impressive ground level skills and ability to win first possession, he also proved he was strong overhead, taking multiple strong aerial marks against his more mature opponents. His workrate, tackling pressure and attacking overlap run on offensive drives also stood out.

Analysis

It will be fascinating over the course of the season to see how far McCluggage can improve, and how his game evolves over time. Early signs are he has among the highest ceilings of any of the 2016 draft prospects in terms of scope to develop given how complete his game is, and how many weapons he possesses.

The next step in McCluggage's development is developing more physical hardness and a willingness to put his body on the line when it is his turn. On one occasion last weekend, he could have accelerated to take a mark but seemed to ease back and go into self-preservation mode, thinking someone was coming the other way, expecting a collision. Similarly at stoppages, McCluggage seems to win the ball at mostly from reading ruck taps better than anyone else and collecting ground balls more cleanly than his peers, so if he begins to put his body on the line and attack the contest, he has the ability to take his game to a whole new level. If he improves in this area, he could become a player in the mould of Port Adelaide's Robbie Gray.

Robbie Gray evades a Dylan Roberton tackle during the exciting Round 1 contest between Port and St Kilda. Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

Victorian prospect watch

The big news in Victoria this week was the injury to classy midfielder Jy Simpkin, who broke his leg playing for Scotch College in the APS (Victorian private school) competition. Simpkin is expected to miss the National Under 18 Championships and it is unclear at this stage whether he will return before the end of the season. Looking at the quality of his play last year, Simpkin looked like a first-round selection if not a top 10 draft pick. He is arguably the most damaging kick of the football in this draft with his vision, execution by foot and composure with ball in hand all features of his game.

Simpkin can play through the midfield or play forward where he like no one else in this draft can hit his targets inside 50 or finish around goal with precision.

Jy Simpkin of the AIS AFL Academy in action against VFL side Werribee in April, 2016. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Dylan Clarke, the younger brother of North Melbourne's 2015 draftee Ryan, performed strongly for Eastern Rangers in their game against Oakleigh Chargers. While Oakleigh won the game through a powerful third quarter, Clarke put forward a performance that will have clubs taking notice with 29 disposals and 12 tackles through the midfield.

Clarke is a taller, stronger-bodied midfielder compared to his brother at 187cm, 85kg, but is not quite as athletic.

Staying on the subject of brothers of current North Melbourne footballers, 186cm midfielder Joseph Atley (younger brother of Shaun) performed strongly for Bendigo in their loss against Dandenong. He collected 30 disposals and six tackles in what is his third game of three for Bendigo this year where he has been named among the bests.

Geelong Falcons forward Brett Blair also performed strongly at the weekend with a season-high five goals, 25 disposals and 10 marks (three contested), extending his lead in the TAC Cup goalkicking for the season. Blair, 189cm, is a high-flying medium forward who was overlooked in the 2015 national and rookie drafts but is making an early statement to recruiters that he should again be considered this year for selection.

South Australian prospect watch

Brandon Parfitt performed strongly on Sunday against Woodville West-Torrens with 17 disposals at reserves level. Parfitt is a small midfielder at 177cm who comes from the Northern Territory and plays in the SANFL for North Adelaide. He plays with an eye-catching intensity and provides lively energy, a ferocious attack on the footy and also tackles with an aggressive intent.

Potential first round selection Jonty Scharenberg (brother of Collingwood's Matthew) also played SANFL reserves at the weekend for Glenelg, finishing the game with 14 disposals. Scharenberg offers a different game to his older sibling - he is a natural ball-winning midfielder who does his best work inside the contest.

Small midfielder Jonty Inglis, 179cm, shone for West Adelaide in the SA Under 18 competition. He racked up 34 disposals (15 contested) and 11 clearances, putting his name forward as a potential draft prospect.

Bottom-ager Stefan Giro also put forward a noteworthy performance playing for Norwood in the under 18s with 40 disposals and will be one prospect to watch for in 2017.

Making sport fun for everyone since 1999. It's the best Footy Tipping site from work time, to play time, to dinner time. Tip Footy Now!

West Australia prospect watch

In the WA Colts, potential first round draft selections Joshua Rotham, Sam Powell-Pepper and Sam Petrevski-Seton each starred and will be talking points more weeks than not among the WA prospects.

Rotham managed 25 disposals in his third game of the season for West Perth. In each of his three matches, he has managed 20 or more disposals which is highly impressive for a 192cm defender.

East Perth midfielder Powell-Pepper dominated for East Perth, finishing the game with 25 disposals and five goals. He is a strong-bodied midfielder with excellent athletic ability, and boasts a great speed/endurance combination and the versatility to provide some run and carry off half-back.

Damaging Claremont midfielder Petrevski-Seton also performed strongly with 28 disposals and nine tackles. He consistently offers high impact per possession due to his ability to take on the game with his pace and the precise ball use on both sides by foot. One question mark around Petrevski-Seton's game coming into the season was whether he would be able to start to find more of the footy, and early signs suggest if he continues his improvement, he may be selected inside the top 10 if not top five on draft day.

Perth's John Levien, with 23 disposals and 10 inside 50s, and East Perth's Stanley Wright, with 29 disposals, six inside 50s and two goals, were two others who also produced noteworthy performances at the weekend.

Division 2 states (Tasmania, Northern Territory, NSW/ACT, Queensland and Northern Academy) prospects watch

Playing his second season for the Bendigo Pioneers in the TAC Cup, Kobe Mutch is GWS Academy prospect who has made the move to Victoria. A 187cm versatile type who finds the ball in bunches and runs all day, Mutch had a big game against Dandenong with 35 disposals and nine marks. With more big games like that from Mutch, GWS will strongly consider nominating him for November's national draft.

Talented top-age ruckman from Queensland Nate Dennis, who is part of Brisbane's Academy, performed strongly against Western Jets in the TAC Cup with 21 hit-outs, 17 disposals, five tackles, four contested marks and a goal. Dennis over recent seasons has split his time between playing AFL and basketball and he has shown promise with his mobility and ability to read the flight of the ball.