SYDNEY Swans Academy head coach Michael O’Loughlin believes young AFL players on the North Coast only need to look to the club’s rookie list to find some inspiration.
Last week young ruckman Sam Naismith played his first game for the Sydney Swans only five years after playing his first game for the Gunnedah Bulldogs.
Playing against the GWS Giants in a NAB Challenge match, the 21 year-old proved the step from a local competition in Northern NSW to the elite level is one that can be taken.
"What a story, it can be done," O’Loughlin said.
O’Loughlin was in Coffs Harbour on Monday helping conduct a training session for the current North Coast members of the QBE Sydney Swans Academy.
The 303 game veteran has only recently taken over the role after inaugural head coach Paul Roos accepted the chance to return to the top level at Melbourne.
O’Loughlin had been working with the Australian Institute of Sport squads but is now champing at the bit to get stuck into his new role and help improve the standard of football in the region.
"I think one of the things that I’ll be able to bring to the Academy, having learned from travelling all over Australia and speaking to all of the AFL clubs, is what they look for in players," he said.
"Being able to bring that back to Sydney and being able to put the young players through their paces is going to be a pretty good challenge."
AFL has always prided itself on being a game for people of all shapes and sizes but having dealt with recruiters on a regular basis, the 37 year-old said there’s one common trait all of the elite players possess.
"The number one thing they look for is competitiveness," he said.
"You’ve got to come with a work ethic and really want to be successful."
Finding some kids from the Northern NSW region who can take the step to the elite level is O’Loughlin’s goal as he constantly runs his eye over the talented young sportsmen in the region.
"Nothing would make me happier than to go back to Swans recruiting manager Kinnear Beatson and say there’s three guys on the North Coast you really need to look at," he said.
"It’s hard work, it’s dedication and there’s a lot of sacrifices in that but it’s the opportunity and those opportunities weren’t around I guess for a lot of the good players back in the day.
"Now very, very rarely will you be missed, someone will see you and if you can play, word gets around."
For the current Swans Academy members, O’Loughlin said they don’t need look too far to find the pathway to the AFL.
"If you’re an aspiring young player, a really good example for NSW kids is Kieren Jack and Jarrad McVeigh, both Best & Fairest winners, both captains and they’ve come the long way so it can be done," he said.
"You’ve got to get off your backside, you’ve got to work hard, got to listen but I’m rapt that I can come up here and go training and I’ll see 20 to 30 kids with a Swans Academy shirt on and really looking to improve and get better."
For the Swans superstar with 521 goals to his name after a glittering 15 year career, he said offering the opportunity to succeed is all the Swans Academy staff can do.
The rest is up to the kids themselves.
"All I’ll do is keep on giving kids chances and the ones that want to work hard and take it, we’ll keep persisting with."
Photo:
Jake Brown, Harry Parker, Michael O’Loughlin, Josh Reeves. Photo credit: Trevor Veale / Coffs Coast Advocate
Last Modified on 25/02/2014 13:39