ELITE endurance. A clearance specialist. A mighty heart.
ELITE endurance. A clearance specialist. A mighty heart.
They are good qualities for today's football and they have earned James Magner a rookie listing at Melbourne.
The 24-year-old from Beaconsfield had been training at St Kilda after his 2011 best-and-fairest season at Sandringham, scorching in time trials. He thought he was a rough chance to go to the Saints.
But the Demons, wanting "big-bodied" back-up players, took the tenacious right-footer.
"I couldn't be happier, to be honest," Magner said an hour after Melbourne claimed him with selection 42.
He watched the rookie draft on his computer, his wife, Dani, standing over his right shoulder. "She's very happy," he said.
Magner had no inkling the Demons were interested in him.
But word out of Melbourne was that new Casey Scorpions coach Brett Lovett, who coached Magner at Frankston and Sandy, had pushed him up to the recruiting staff.
Lovett confirmed as much, but said Melbourne was already "tracking" him.
"He's ready to step up if required," Lovett said.
"He's strong and he's got super endurance and he'd be able to do a lock-down or run-with role straight away."
Click HERE to view the full article from Leader's Paul Amy
Last Modified on 03/02/2012 13:20