LAST year Matthew Kennedy put Collingullie on the map. The small town in the Riverina region of New South Wales produced a first-round draft pick in Kennedy – a goalkicking midfielder who joined Greater Western Sydney – and this year it looks set to back up its effort with another. 

Harry Perryman has played plenty of football with Kennedy and his brothers at Collingullie, and is likely to join to him at the Giants later this month as another academy selection.

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Perryman was named the most valuable player for New South Wales-ACT at the division two championships and backed it up by claiming the same award for the Allies at the division one carnival later this season. He was named as an All Australian defender.

After pushing his name to prominence against the best players in the country, he went back to Collingullie to finish his season at local level. Bigger things await him next year. 

Perryman is versatile. At different stages of the year he was used as a creative and damaging midfielder, a set-up player across half-back and also as a crafty half-forward with goalkicking nous. In the midfield, he won 15 clearances in his first two games for the Rams, showing a real knack of getting the ball in tight spots.

He is a nice kick on both feet, and is always measured and composed when in possession. He averaged 20 touches a game for the Rams and 17 for the Allies, and in two TAC Cup games for NSW-ACT he averaged 30 disposals and eight inside-50 entries.

Perryman has a very natural read for the game, he's tough and willing to throw his body into the action, and he relies on his quick footy brain to get things going. He knows how to use his body in contests and keeps his feet when under pressure. 

You aren't going to be blown away by Perryman's athleticism. His jumping tests at the NAB AFL Draft Combine were among the lowest recorded this year, and he was also in the bottom 10 per cent of players tested for pace (he ran 3.13 seconds in the 20-metre sprint). 

His endurance work was better, particularly in the beep test where he reached level 14.1. But he won't ever be the type of player to burst out of a stoppage or run rings around opponents. That's not his go. 

James Kelly has excelled in his career at being able to do nearly anything that's required of him. The former Geelong star and now Essendon half-back has played in different positions across his career but always been a sharp user of the ball with a great footy mind. Perryman shares some similar attributes.  

This depends on where the bid comes for Perryman. Greater Western Sydney has the right to match it and will likely do that given they have stocked up on selections to raise points. A bid might not come in the first 10 picks but will not take too much longer to arrive. 

Perryman is the footballer's footballer of this year. Black boots, socks down, and no fuss. He can play in so many spots that it's hard to identify where he'll be best placed, but he looms as a 'Mr Fix It' type of player. If his coach has a problem, he can turn to Perryman. 

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