Only a fraction of TAC Cup players in any given year are selected at the NAB AFL Draft, leaving many disappointed and looking for the best way to give themselves another shot at making the big league.
Sandringham Zebras 19-year-old Kade Answerth is one such player.
Some unsuccessful draft aspirants are invited back to their TAC Cup clubs as over-age players; some progress to the Peter Jackson VFL to develop themselves against senior opposition.
After disappointment on draft night the last two years, Answerth has now experienced both scenarios.
In 2014, his top-age season in the TAC Cup, Answerth was the joint-winner of the Oakleigh Chargers’ best and fairest award in a premiership year. He hoped for draft success but didn’t expect too much. There were question marks on his size (he’s now 183cm), his speed and his disposal, and he wasn’t selected.
Last year in his over-age season at Oakleigh, Answerth won the club’s best and fairest award outright, again in a premiership year. He also won the medal for best-on-ground in the Grand Final victory. Further, he experienced senior VFL football by playing three games for Port Melbourne. Still, it wasn’t enough for AFL recruiters.
“Last year I had more hope than the year before,” Answerth said. “I didn’t leave any stone unturned (in 2015); I did everything in my power.
“Missing out was obviously disappointing but I did everything I could, so not getting picked up didn’t quite hurt as much as it did in 2014. I would’ve been disappointed if I could’ve done something differently or more consistently throughout the year.”
Answerth averaged 24 disposals and almost six tackles per game across 14 TAC Cup matches in 2015, including 30 disposals, 10 clearances and seven tackles in Oakleigh’s premiership victory. He also impressed by averaging 14 disposals per game in his three VFL matches with the Borough.
Despite doing everything in his power and not being rewarded with selection on an AFL list last year, Answerth is still holding out hope of graduating to the elite level.
The reason is that he believes the environment at Sandringham has the potential to develop his football even further. Answerth played the first three matches of 2016 as the senior team’s 23rd player – averaging 19 disposals per game and kicking four goals – and then starred in a big victory over Collingwood in Round 5 with 29 disposals, 10 marks, 11 tackles, five clearances and a goal as part of the starting 22.
His decision to settle at Trevor Barker Beach Oval now looks a good one.
“It was pretty difficult to make up my mind because a lot of Oakleigh boys went to Port Melbourne and I was good mates with them,” Answerth said. “But in the end, I found Sandy was a better fit for me to better my footy.
“I sat down and had coffee with (senior coach) Paul Hudson, and he was really welcoming and had a clear direction for the club.
“I probably went more towards the alignment with St Kilda. There’s a bit more of a challenge to get into the seniors, and a lot of people look at that as a negative, but you’re training with and potentially playing with guys on an AFL list. That’s going to better your footy.
“It seemed like a good fit at the time and it’s turned out to be a decision I’ve really looked back on as a good one.”
Answerth has connections with two AFL-listed Saints through Oakleigh’s 2014 premiership team in good mates Daniel McKenzie and Jack Sinclair.
He said the pair “have definitely come a long way” since entering a professional AFL environment, and took heart from seeing how they’ve developed in defined on-field roles as opposed to gaining experience in various positions at TAC Cup level.
Answerth hopes he too can establish himself in Sandringham’s senior team in a role as a high half forward moving through the midfield. His goal tally shows he’s already addressing one of the aspects of his game that recruiters may have seen as a deficiency.
“I think hitting the scoreboard a bit more, being more dangerous as a smaller forward and showing I can play that role is something I could improve on,” Answerth said.
“Getting to more contests and getting to the feet of big guys would really help, and so far I’ve done that this year.”
In addition to addressing his ability to hit the scoreboard, Answerth is particularly focused on turning around opinions on his kicking ability, and third-year Zebras teammate Elliot Le Grice has been instrumental in helping him along that path.
“We’ve been kicking a lot together,” Answerth said. “Elliot prides himself on his disposal from the back line and my kicking needs a bit of work, so getting to training early and having a kick with him has been really good.
“I’ve just been focusing on my ball drop and taking on board some little tips he’s used over the past couple of years that have been working for him.”
He may have just about done it all at TAC Cup level and still not achieved what he ultimately wanted, but it hasn’t stopped Answerth embracing new challenges in a new environment.
* Photo: Dave Savell
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Last Modified on 16/05/2016 14:57
