Peter Sumich has backed Luke Jackson to play at AFL level next season as the star junior ruckman prepares to become the first West Australian chosen in this week’s national draft.

Jackson is set to become the first ruckman to be drafted in the top five since West Coast took Nic Naitanui with pick two in 2008, with Melbourne strongly considering pouncing with pick three.

Despite Jackson only choosing football over basketball last year, victorious WA under-18s coach Sumich said he was more advanced than fellow mobile big man Tim English at the same stage. English was taken by the Western Bulldogs with pick 19 in 2016.

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“I think Jackson’s probably a good 12 months ahead. I really like Tim English. I think this kid’s got ground level play and really hunts the footy and that’s why I think he’s just ahead of the game with a lot of these younger ruckmen,” Sumich said.

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Sumich said Jackson would be an ideal ruck partner for Demons star Max Gawn.

“This kid will be a great back-up in 12 months’ time and I think he can play straight away anyway. I think he can play forward and then pinch-hit in the ruck,” he told 6PR yesterday.

“I don’t think they like taking ruckmen (that early) but this kid’s one out of the box. I think he deserves a top-five pick. That’s my opinion.”

Sumich said the WA Football Commission hoped 15 WA players would be taken in this week’s national and rookie drafts.

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The West Coast great has been contacted by recruiters from all 18 clubs seeking information on players from his under-18 championships outfit.

Sumich said Geelong, who boast a strong draft hand courtesy of the Tim Kelly deal, had keen interest in Subiaco’s Mitch Georgiades. The 192cm forward missed his entire draft year with a quad injury after impressing in 2018. The Cats have picks at 14, 17, 24 and 36.

“I’ll be surprised if Mitch Georgiades didn’t go in the first 30, if not the first 20. I rate him very highly and I think a lot of clubs do as well,” he said.

“I reckon if he had played for the State team we might have won all games by five goals. And we would have probably been talking about him as a top-five (pick).”

Sumich played a round of golf with his young charges on Friday before they are scattered around the country. “They’re very excited, very nervous a lot of them. But hopefully we get a good crop going through the draft this year,” he said.

Sumich nominated Claremont colts premiership captain Ronin O’Connor as the hidden gem from WA’s prospects.

O’Connor is viewed as a chance to go late in the national draft on Thursday or in Friday’s rookie draft.

“I think him at 40-plus would be a steal. He played in the midfield for us and I think he’d be a very, very good pick-up,” he said.