"I don't believe the VFL talent pool receives the recognition it deserves," he said yesterday, three days out from the national draft.

Few are better credentialed than FitzGerald to comment on the lack of opportunities given to VFL players at the highest level.

FitzGerald has led three teams in a VFL coaching career spanning more than a decade, coached the VFL representative team and taken North Ballarat to premierships in the past two seasons.

He has also had a lot to do with AFL-listed players through alignments with St Kilda (Springvale) and North Melbourne (Port Melbourne and North Ballarat).

FitzGerald said he had coached and seen numerous players in the VFL who, if given an opportunity, could have or still could make it in the AFL.

"(Hawthorn's) Sam Mitchell is a great example.

"Surely there are more boys like him," he said.

Hawthorn drafted Mitchell from Box Hill Hawks in 2001 and he is now an AFL premiership captain.

FitzGerald revisited comments at this year's VFL best and fairest dinner after North Ballarat's Myles Sewell had claimed the JJ Liston Trophy.

He said AFL recruiters should be looking at how far VFL's best such as Sewell had gone on a limited preparation and consider what they could achieve under full-time training regime.

"It can be frustrating to see them judged on what they can't do rather than what they can."

FitzGerald is sure that as well as Sewell, North Ballarat premiership players Steve Clifton, Brett Goodes and Orren Stephenson each has what it takes to make it in the AFL.

"It's all about opportunity," he said.

FitzGerald pointed to his experience with Josh Gibson, whom he coached at Port Melbourne before the defender was drafted by North Melbourne.

He said Gibson had been overlooked straight out of the TAC Cup because of things he could not do, but given time in the VFL to develop his skills had been drafted and gone on to a successful AFL career.

Robin Nahas is another VFL success story in the AFL.

Richmond selected the pint-sized Nahas from Port Melbourne in last year's rookie draft.

The now 22-year-old played 19 games with the Tigers.