AFL Draft Camp - Player Interview

dom_105 · Post by **dom_105** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:46 pm

Just wandered over to the AFL.com site and found that they actually have something interesting on there for once. Really gives an insight on the goings on behind the scenes.

Even though there is a typo, the player seemed to answer a question that wasn't asked. Oh well, what can you expect from AFL.com
_________________________________________________________

afl.com.au was fortunate enough to be given exclusive access and sit in and listen to a player interview conducted by an AFL club during the 2006 NAB AFL Draft Camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

Dishing out the questions were the coach, director of football, football manager and recruiting manager. The player interviewed is certain to be drafted and has been touted as a top 20 selection.

Although the names of all concerned have not been revealed, it is a fascinating insight into what an AFL prospect is put through by an AFL club. The following is an edited transcript of an interview, which lasted for around 30 minutes that took place on Thursday afternoon. We thank the participants for allowing us access into the session.

Coach: What are your best attributes?

Player: I don't think I'm super fit or super quick … I'd like to think I work hard and I do try and by the end of the game, I'm really knackered, so I do give my all every week.

Recruiting Manager: How did you rate your under-18 carnival, personally and from a team point-of-view?

Player: People said we were shocking, but it wasn't very good losing the three games and had we played the next week, we probably may have won two of them, so it was just luck of the draw.

Football Manager: What happened? The coach stuffed up? The players stuffed up? It was too much of a holiday?

Player: I don't think so. We weren't that bad a side and maybe we needed another scratch match before we played and maybe the quality of the team we played in the scratch matches could've been higher. I wasn't over the moon about my carnival. I played down back for the first time and that was a good experience - I hadn't done that before.

Recruiting Manager: How did you cope with the fact that you've played up forward the last few years and then in the 18s carnival they start you down back?

Player: I thought it was a bit strange … we had talked about and had planned me being the third tall in the forward line, so it didn't go to plan, but there wasn't a lot you could do about that.

Football Manager: Have you played a game where a defender has absolutely toweled you up?

Player: Paul Bower, who is now at Carlton, he gave me a bath one day.

Director of Football: If you think now to the players in your under 18 championships' side and we put a football in the centre of the MCG and asked three players to run off the line to compete for that footy - which three guys would be the most determined to win that ball and you can include yourself in this - if you believe you are in the three?

Player: (Player 1), (Player 2) and probably myself.

Director of Football: Who would you back to win it out of those three?

Player: Most likely (Player 1)

Director of Football: If we said that footy actually represented the last spot on our player list and with that one spot left, the winner of that ball gets that player's spot. Who's going to win it now?

Player: Me I hope.

Director of Football: So how do we take that approach if you went into the next contest and in every game of footy - before you said that (Player 1) was going to be the one that wins the ball - why can't we take that attitude towards your actual on-field game?

Player: It's something I should think about a bit more.

Director of Football: When was the last time you came off the training track absolutely exhausted?

Player: A couple of weeks before the finals.

Director of Football: So how would we know what constitutes you training well? How do we know you've trained well? How would you know? Is it because you're tired or what is it?

Player: When you hit targets all the time, when you run through and when you stay switched on and when you encourage others.

Director of Football: Are you a nice bloke?

Player: I like to think I am.

Director of Football: Do your opponents think you're a nice bloke?

Player: Probably not, no.

Director of Football: Do you want them to think you're a nice bloke?

Player: I haven't really thought about it before, but I suppose it doesn't really bother me in a way.

Player: I've finished. I've been working all year as a labourer with my cousin.

Coach: Building site or brickie?

Player: Surface cleaning, removing graffiti, sandblasting and shoveling sand all day.

Football Manager: If football didn't work out for you - what would you do?

Coach: He'd be a graffiti remover, he told me (says with a laugh).

Football Manager: No, that's what he is doing now.

Player: I'd probably look into going to TAFE or try and get into uni.

Coach: What about the opposition from the championships … who did you think: 'He is a bloody ripper this bloke'?

Player: I thought Bachar Houli killed us … and No.15 for Vic Metro (Matthew Vasilevski).

Director of Football: If you were sitting in our position and you had to ask one question of a kid that you were interviewing - what would you ask them?

Player: How much do you want to be an AFL footballer?

Director of Football: How would you answer it?

Player: A lot.

Football Manager: Would you rather kick Adam Hunter's goal (in the 2006 Grand Final) or take Leo Barry's (match-saving) mark (in the 2005 Grand Final)? What would you rather?

Player: Leo Barry's mark … it's more crucial in Leo Barry's circumstances.

Director of Football: Have you got any questions of us?

Player: No, not really.

___________________________________________________________

Gossy7 · Post by **Gossy7** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:58 pm

He must be a smart lad. He spoke well.

Thats very interesting and an excellent read.

Kanech · Post by **Kanech** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:19 am

he seems like he spke fairly well but didnt seem all that commited or enthusiastic

sash · Post by **sash** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 11:53 am

Great read and idea. Gives you a look on the inside should do more stuff like it. Would be real interesting to find out who it is. Alsd thought he wasnt overally enthusiastic, still spoke fairly well though. Though some of questions werent the greatest either.

uptick · Post by **uptick** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 8:28 pm

Makes one realise that if a club was really keen on a particular kid and was prepared to gaurantee to pick the kid up,, and the kid wanted to go to that particular club, it would be pretty easy for the kid to put other clubs off , by acting the tool during interviews ??.

sash wrote:Great read and idea. Gives you a look on the inside should do more stuff like it. Would be real interesting to find out who it is. Alsd thought he wasnt overally enthusiastic, still spoke fairly well though. Though some of questions werent the greatest either.

ealesy · Post by **ealesy** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:31 am

I've always found that you should always ask questions of a prospective employee when they give you a chance.

It just goes to show that you've thought about that bit extra about the organisation and shows that you are truly interested in the position.

For example, at the end there the kid has a senior AFL coach, a Football Manager and a Recruiting Manager, what better people to ask to identify what his strengths and weaknesses are and what areas he should really concentrate on improving etc.