Lions father-son and academy prospect Jaspa Fletcher likens the experience to “sitting outside the principal‘s office – not like I’ve been there”.
On ‘Level C’ of Marvel Stadium, 18 AFL club recruiting teams – some include senior coaches – have set up camp in corporate suites. They‘re interviewing the top prospects at this year’s national combine to help them solidify their preferences ahead of November’s draft.
Held up by Blu Tack, an A4-sized sheet of paper, where the club‘s name is clearly printed, is stuck on each door. One black-coloured cushioned chair is also positioned outside every suite.
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The clubs have been placed in alphabetical order – and the players’ base is closest to the Western Bulldogs’ room. So if a player has an appointment with Collingwood, they face a long walk down a narrow corridor past 12 other clubs – and other players waiting to be interviewed – to get there.
It’s a more formal set-up to what the hopeful AFL players have experienced during the year when recruiters have either visited their homes, conducted a video conference or asked the players to visit their respective clubs.
“Honestly it‘s so surreal,” top South Australian prospect Mattaes Phillipou tells foxfooty.com.au.
“I remember getting here and walking past rooms and you’ve got every AFL club, you’ve got Google here, the Telstra room, 3D head-scanning for the new AFL Evolution game – I’m like: ‘What the hell is going on?’”
Draft prospects sit on the chair outside the room, waiting to be called in by the club. AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan has already told players it’s imperative to be punctual – their schedules, which include club and media interviews, have been mapped out to the minute – so when one club interview runs a touch over, the nervous wait becomes painful.
For some, the cushioned chair does little to relax the nerves, especially if the appointment is one of the players’ first few draft combine interviews.
“When I‘m sitting in that chair, I do get a little nervous and jittery,” Fletcher tells foxfooty.com.au. “But when that first person comes out and shakes your hand, it helps.”
Top Tasmanian prospect Lachie Cowan doesn’t mind the wait – although his mindset changes once he enters the room.
“Waiting to go in, I pretty much just sit on me phone and have a scroll,” Cowan tells foxfooty.com.au. “I’m pretty relaxed.
“But then you go in and shake everyone’s hand. Some of the coaches are in there as well and that can be pretty intimidating.”
If the wait isn‘t tough enough, then comes the task of trying to remember every person’s name in the room – something star GWV Rebels forward Aaron Cadman admits he struggles with.
“Sometimes when you walk in and there‘s 10 people sitting in there, you’ve got to shake 10 hands – and you don’t remember one name,” Cadman tells foxfooty.com.au with a laugh.
“But it‘s all part of it and I enjoy that sort of stuff and answering questions like that. I almost like getting put on the spot like that. It’s different, but it has to be done.”
Essendon father-son prospect Alwyn Davey Jr says he was in at least one interview that was recorded.
INSIDE THE ROOM
Top-five midfield prospect George Wardlaw says the questions from club to club, overall, are similar, “so you can kind of repeat your answers a little bit and make them better for the future”. Oakleigh Chargers teammate Elijah Tsatas says he found the conversations “usually pretty positive … they know that it can be nerve-racking for some kids”.
Star Sandringham Dragons goalkicker Harry Sheezel, though, says he found it “differs from team to team”.
“Some of them are a bit more brutal and the rest are a bit laid-back,” Sheezel tells foxfooty.com.au.
“I think they‘re just trying to see how you respond to some of those harder questions and show who you really are, so just stay composed. I just try and relax.”
For Hawks supporter Sheezel, his interview with Hawthorn at the draft combine was particularly special. He walked into the room and saw one of his favourite players growing up – and now senior coach – Sam Mitchell sitting at the table.
“It was pretty cool. He was pretty chilled,” Sheezel says of meeting Mitchell.
“We were cracking some jokes and he‘s just a laid back guy. It was pretty surreal talking to him.”
For Carlton fan Cowan, meeting Blues coach Michael Voss made it “extra nerve-racking” initially.
“‘Vossy’ was in there, that was pretty intimidating,” Cowan says. “He asked a few questions here and there, but he was more listening.
“Having the coaches there gives it a bit of an extra kick. It’s awesome having them in there. You turn into a little fan boy. You sort of want a photo with all of them.”
LIVE TRADE CHAT?
A unique aspect of this year’s draft combine was that it was held two weeks after the Grand Final – not the usual one week.
It meant the event was in the middle of a frantic trade period.
And most of the key trade decision-makers were at Marvel Stadium representing their clubs.
“The bit I found most interesting about it is you get to see live trade discussions,” gun Sandy Dragons prospect Olli Hotton tells foxfooty.com.au. “Like, clubs are conversing with each other right in front of you.
“You see it in the media, but I’m seeing it hours before it comes out and people talking to each other. You can’t exactly hear what they’re saying, but it‘s just weird to see they’re talking about potential picks being traded – and all those picks they’re talking about could be one of us boys. It’s weird to sort of think about that.”
Hotton particularly remembers his interview with the Giants because club football manager Jason McCartney sat behind him. McCartney was closest to the suite door as it allowed him to quickly exit the room and take confidential phone calls. McCartney’s phone, clearly, would’ve been one of the hottest during the trade period.
“I was a bit surprised when I went to the Giants. They had quite a few people in there and Jason McCartney was seated behind me, which was a bit strange,” Hotton says.
Four team MEGA-TRADE for JHF! | 01:53
“I think he was just busy doing trade stuff on his computer. But he said a couple of comments and I had to twist my head around to look at him.”
THE CURLIEST INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
There‘s always a fascination around specific questions clubs ask prospects during an interview as many of them are notoriously left-field.
This was unquestionably the case again in 2022.
One club delved into Swan Districts on-baller Elijah Hewett’s laundry views.
“One of the lads asked me a question: ‘How often would you wash your jeans if you wore them once a week?’” Hewett tells foxfooty.com.au.
“I said probably once every two weeks – after every second time maybe give them a wash.”
Gippsland Power star Bailey Humphrey says one club asked him what traits he needed in a girlfriend – “that was a bit out of nowhere … I just said as long as she’s a good person!” – while Tsatas says he copped “a couple wacky ones”.
“I got asked to draft the top 10 and then someone else asked me: ‘What car do you describe yourself as?’” Tsatas tells foxfooty.com.au.
His answer? “A Ferrari,” Tsatas says with a smile. An appropriate answer, too, considering Tsatas is arguably the most explosive outside midfielder in the draft class.
Geelong Falcons co-captain Jhye Clark says he was asked if there was a player from his class he wouldn‘t draft, while Dandenong Stingrays utility Henry Hustwaite copped a curly one from the Lions.
“Brisbane asked me whose spot I would take out of the team right now,” Hustwaite tells foxfooty.com.au.
“So I just went with Dan McStay because he’d just left, so that was kind of a cop out. If he was still there, I don’t know who I would’ve said.”
Davey says he was asked what his favourite food is – “I said I love a good steak … medium-rare or well done, it depends on the day – while Sandringham Dragons on-baller Cameron Mackenzie had to reveal what his favourite phone app was.
“I still don’t even know what it is, maybe YouTube or Instagram? Pretty generic, nothing too out there,” he tells foxfooty.com.au.
Sheezel says it’s when clubs “challenge your answers” that players can be most thrown off-guard.
But for Fletcher, the biggest curveball was not one specific question. It was when he was asked by Collingwood to facilitate a live conversation for 90 seconds with former star now Collingwood staffer Daniel Wells, who was part of the interviewing team.
“I had to come up with all the questions to test my listening and hearing skills. So that was interesting. It‘s a bit of a new one for me,” Fletcher says.
“I just asked him (Wells) about his footy and that goal that he took out of the ruck and the final against Essendon that North won and Drew Petrie did the celebration. That got me through it.”
BEST ADVICE
For a 17-year-old or 18-year-old prospect, the club interview process can be a tricky and scary occurrence. Therefore, the common external perception is it’s just a way for clubs to try and trip players up.
But for Hewett, that hasn‘t been his experience.
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“There‘s a lot of scrutiny around the interview process and people probably get a bit scared, but it’s not that intimidating,” Hewett says.
“The clubs are really good. I think for them, it‘s just a matter of getting to know you and making sure that the person they’re investing in is worthy of the job. They’ve seen your football and know what you’re capable of, but then it’s about the off-field stuff.
“I‘ve taken it all on board and built some good relationships with some of the recruiters and we’ll see what happens.”
As for any advice for future draft prospects?
Almost every single player interviewed by foxfooty.com.au about being interviewed by a club says the same thing: Be yourself.
