Liam Summer, who grew up playing football for St Pauls McKinnon JFC in the MSJFL before also playing football for St Pauls Senior Football Club, was last night taken at pick 10 by Greater Western Sydney in the NAB AFL Draft.
The following story appeared in the Herald Sun earlier this month about Sumner:
WHEN Liam Sumner accelerates into space, the opposition's hopes of catching him evaporate quickly.
The dashing wingman is one of the most exhilarating talents in this year's national draft, an almost certain top-15 pick.
He has sizzling breakaway speed and can finish those bursts with precision passes inside 50m.
Along with his once shaggy blond hair, comparisons have been made with Magpie Dale Thomas.
While Sumner, 18, may not yet have as many aerial tricks as Thomas, it is no surprise the 182cm midfielder acknowledges he had modelled his game on the Pies superstar.
"We kind of play on the same strengths, I guess - both quick and agile, and he kind of plays the same positions," Sumner said.
"But just his work rate, I look at that and admire it.
"I love taking the game on. I love the feel of it, getting past (opponents) and the excitement of the whole thing."
In a draft that recruiters privately describe as the most shallow talent pool in a decade, the goalkicking line-breaker sparkles.
He surged into first-round calculations when he kicked six goals for Sandringham Dragons against Gippsland in April, then averaged 15 touches a game in the national championships.
"Whether it's that deft touch to himself, or his ability to keep his feet - for which he is well-known - he is almost cat-like with his balance," Dragons regional manager Ryan O'Connor said. "Sitting in the coach's box you just sort of look at each other, shake your head and say, 'Wow, look at that'."
But as eye-catching as Sumner's natural football instincts are, the keen surfer, originally from St Paul's, does not want to be pegged as flashy.
This season, which finished with a Dragons premiership, has been one of growth and sacrifice.
Sumner was rotated through the engine room to develop his inside game.
"I've been trying to get a lot more hard-ball gets in and under the contest," he said. About mid-season, the slick midfielder made his defensive pressure a priority, and was beginning to notch eight tackles a game.
The second efforts, smothers, blocks, and all-round grunt work were also starting to feature. Though the in-close buffeting he copped was tough on his light frame, the polished playmaker said he had become a more rounded player.
"I feel that I play good footy on the wing, if I can get into that space and run and take the game on," he said. "But I also like to go through the midfield and win my own ball.
"I guess there were some question marks against my name for a couple of things, but I feel as if I have knocked some of those off."
Sumner missed out on selection in the Dragons under-16 team, and was initially overlooked for this year's AIS/AFL squad.
"I had to prove myself," he said.
He persisted, showing there was substance beneath the showy game style, and made his mark this year during the AIS/AFL games against VFL teams.
The SFL wishes to congratulate Liam, as well as all other draftees from our local catchment area. These draftees include:
JACKSON PAINE, ALEX WOODWARD, DOM TYSON, ADAM TOMLINSON, TOBY GREENE, TOM CURRAN, DANIEL PEARCE, MATTHEW ARNOT, ALEX BROWN, MATTHEW BUNTINE, NICK HAYNES, TODD ELTON, & JORDAN KELLY.
Last Modified on 14/02/2012 14:09