Elliot Kavanagh in action for the Vic Metro. 49271 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By Liam Twomey
AT least two Western Jets footballers appear certain to be taking the field with AFL clubs next year after excelling at the AFL draft combine last week.
Will Hoskin-Elliott and Elliott Kavanagh both attracted the attention of the 17 AFL clubs watching on at Etihad Stadium during the week long event.
They were tested on everything from skills, to athletic ability and also given the opportunity to meet with club coaches and football department members.
Hoskin-Elliott, who enjoyed a breakout year with the Jets, dominated the fitness testing.
Out of 120 boys competing, the classy midfielder finished second in the 3km time trial with a time of 9.53.
That was only one second behind winner Brad Hill, who is the younger brother of Fremantle livewire Josh Hill.
The good news didn’t stop there though as he also finished second in the beep test, again to Hill, with a score of 15.12.
The draft combine was extra important for Kavanagh after he missed the majority of the TAC Cup season through injury.
However, that was a distant memory as he went about blitzing a number of the AFL’s hardest tests including the kicking and handball assessments.
“I was definitely very nervous before both tests. It was big stakes,” Kavanagh said.
Kavanagh’s score of 28 out of 30 in the handball test was the highest from any player at the combine.
He now hopes that his great results will be enough to compensate for a year on the sidelines.
“Getting over the injury was a bit of an up and down situation both mentally and also physically with the kind of work loads I was able to do and not do. It was a bit of a challenge,” he said.
“I think they (recruiters) will have to decide for themselves and we will see where I end up based on that. I’m not too sure but I hope they don’t take that into too much account (past injury). Hopefully my performances shine over that.”
Kavanagh will know all too well how Western Jets captain Adam Kennedy would be feeling after he was unable to compete at the combine because of injury.
“I hurt my back about two weeks ago at the gym and then about four days ago I tried to train for it and just pulled up sore,” Kennedy said.
Despite being unable to compete Kennedy is confident his excellent performances for the Jets, Vic Metro and the Williamstown VFL side will be enough to keep him on the radar of recruiters.
“I can’t really show my skills here at the combine and my fitness testing which won’t help but hopefully what I did throughout the year with my football is enough,” he said.
“I put a lot of hard work in at pre-season and I was happy with how my season went.
“What happened at the carnival and then with the Jets and a couple of games in the VFL, which I really enjoyed.”
With all the testing and interviews now complete, the attention now turns to the AFL recruiters who will spend countless hours between now and the national draft working out who will join their list for next season.
The national draft will take place on November 23.
