By LIAM TWOMEY
IN his final year of junior football, Sean Hetherington produced a season to remember for the Calder Cannons. Lining up in one of the TAC Cup competition’s powerhouse sides, Hetherington ran second in the club’s best and fairest award.
While the achievement is outstanding on its own, it takes on even greater significance after eight members of the Cannons’ squad went on to get drafted in the AFL.
Hetherington narrowly missed out on joining those ranks, but it wasn’t long before offers from chasing clubs came thick and fast.
After taking a meeting with Williamstown football manager Chris Dixon, Hetherington knew where his future was.
“Chris Dixon came to my house and pretty much straight after the interview, I knew I was keen to get down to Williamstown,” Hetherington said.
“He was so professional about the approach and he just made it sound really appealing and that the club is going in the right direction.
“After having that interview with Chris, I was pretty keen to head down that way.”
Hetherington has started the season playing in the Williamstown development side and didn’t wait long to make an impact in the new competition.
In his Seagulls debut, he booted two goals, while also playing in the side’s round two 168-point flogging of Coburg.
With a desire to break into Williamstown’s senior side, midfielder Hetherington is modelling his game on two of the Seagulls’ hardest workers, Ben Jolley and Justin Sherman.
“You have all sorts of guys who are really good at certain areas who you try and learn from,” Hetherington said.
“Justin Sherman and the way he runs off the backline, his work rate is really appealing to me as well as Ben Jolley.
“It is really eye opening and that is what I want to model my game on as well. I want to be a hard working midfielder like the Jolleys and the Carrs and those sorts of guys.”
It isn’t just the Seagulls who have been impressed with Hetherington’s talents, with the teenager also selected in the preliminary VFL Academy Squad for 2013.
Three players from the squad were drafted into the AFL last year.
While not shying away from the fact that reaching AFL is still his goal, Hetherington isn’t rushing the process as he continues to find his feet at VFL level.
“This year, I didn’t really set any goals just because I’m not really aware of the VFL and the standard and those sorts of things. I pretty much just want to develop in the competition,” he said.
“The commitment side of it and the training side of it have definitely picked up. I absolutely love it.
“It is a great culture, we have great facilities and the people there are fantastic. They really know what they are on about and I can already see development in my game which is a good sign.
“As far as the decision in going to Williamstown, I think it is the best decision that I’ve made.”
