After the successful starts of Sydney and Adelaide teenagers Callum Mills and Wayne Milera last weekend, all eyes will be on GWS newcomers Jacob Hopper and Matthew Kennedy tonight.
The pair, the first two Giants academy players selected in last year’s national draft, have been named in the GWS squad to play a strong Western Bulldogs outfit in Canberra in the opening round of the NAB Challenge.
Swans academy star Mills, 18, made a sensational debut last week, playing across half-back against Port Adelaide in a performance described as “great” by co-captain and stand-in coach Jarrad McVeigh. And Crows midfielder Milera, 18, showed outstanding poise and polish against an undermanned Eagles side last Sunday.
Both players, who were first-round selections in last year’s national draft, are pressing for early inclusions in the premiership season, which starts on the Thursday before Easter.
Hopper, 19, and Kennedy, 18, were taken by the Giants with selections No 7 and No 13 last year, with GWS then continuing to stick with their academy players by selecting key forward Harrison Himmelberg at 16 and ruckman Matthew Flynn at 41. Himmelberg has also been named in tonight’s 29-man squad, which will be trimmed to 26.
Tonight’s contest could further push the impact the northern academies are having, with Brisbane similarly happy with their two academy players, Eric Hipwood, a key forward in the making, and the more advanced half-forward-midfielder Ben Keays, who has progressed strongly in the early months of his first year.
According to several experts who identify young talent for a living, Hopper is a midfield star in the making, with Kennedy not far behind him in the ratings leading up to last year’s draft.
Academies and father-sons aside in an uncompromised draft, most recruiters had Mills as their No 1 pick, followed by Hopper at No 2.
It’s early days but Hopper and Kennedy are tipped to become at least the equal of the highly talented and highly sought-after Adam Treloar, who joined Collingwood last October despite Richmond’s late attempt to attract the midfielder.
One veteran club recruiting manager yesterday told The Australian that Hopper was “a carbon copy of Joel Selwood”, while Kennedy reminded him of a young Nat Fyfe — deceptively strong overhead as well as being highly skilled on both sides of his body.
GWS coach Leon Cameron yesterday announced Stephen Coniglio as tonight’s captain because he was the “ultimate team man”.
With co-captains Callan Ward and Phil Walsh being rested and other Giants including Heath Shaw, Ryan Griffen and Steve Johnson not playing, Coniglio was given the nod. Cameron said Coniglio’s leadership and tough playing style made him a standout to lead the team and press for a spot in its leadership group to be announced next month.
“He has a good demeanour with the coaches and players, he’s well respected, he’s hard at it and puts his head over the footy,” Cameron said. “He leads by example, he tackles and he’s an ultimate team man. I think it’s just great for Stephen to have that opportunity and responsibility of captaining the side for the first time in an official AFL game.”
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...s/news-story/37b0ad012c530357582ef60a85bc5338
