Bennell makes confident start to AFL career
WHAT little most of us know of Jamie Bennell, rest assured that confidence is one quality he does not not lack.
Why, who'd ever quit their job on a Friday and tell their boss they may or may not be back the next Monday, for that same job, smack bang in the middle of a global financial downturn?
That's what Bennell did with his landscaping job a day before the AFL national draft, confident he'd carted his last wheelbarrow of heavy rocks across a lumpy yard.
And it worked out just as he'd expected it to because Bennell took his first step towards a professional football career when Melbourne Football Club called out his name in the third round of Saturday's draft.
Adding to the two premierships he won, it was the high point of 2008 for Bennell, who played between 35 to 40 games of football this year, the most he will ever have to play in a season from this day forward.
This year, Bennell combined his WAFL commitments at Swan Districts' Colts with club footy at Carey Park in the South West Football League and several State games for WA Country in a three-day block for a taxing tally of games but which have paid dividends.
What awaits the 18-year-old now is an introduction to his new team-mates, a relocation to Melbourne and an AFL club pre-season just as rigourous.
But whatever it takes, Bennell is ready to grab his chance and do what needs to be done. He obviously has the work ethic to do it -- he had just finished a training session when we called.
Bennell, whose skills, pace and spatial awareness in heavy traffic had caught the Demons' recruiters' eyes, said he was confident he'd be picked up.
Up to nine AFL clubs had been in touch leading up to the draft but like all good cloak and dagger operators, none gave any indication they'd pick him up. Maybe Melbourne's presence at a Panthers match in Bunbury to watch Bennell one Saturday was a bit of a give-away.
"I had heard West Coast were keen (to pick me) but you just don't know," he said yesterday.
"I had nine clubs contact me and on Saturday I was just sitting there, getting nervous so when I heard my name called out and it was Melbourne, I was shocked, then I felt good after that."
Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said on Monday he wouldn't be pushing any of his recruits beyond what they were capable of in their first year.
"He (Bailey) rang me up the other day, just chatting about the club's history and he said nothing about me playing (at AFL level) next year," Bennell said.
"I'm just looking forward to it, really. The opportunity is there so I'm going to take it. It'll be hard but I'll work through it with family support."
Despite his big year, where he won premierships with Swans' Colts, Carey Park's seniors, and an All-Australian jumper at the Australian Country Football Championships in Shepparton, Victoria, Bennell said he had coped well with the demands placed upon his body.
"I've pulled up alright, better than I thought I would, there's a few little bumps but nothing too major," he said.
"Without doing a pre-season, just playing games this year had helped with the fitness."
Bennell gave up a cricket scholarship to play in England last year to concentrate on his football.
What can top this?
RUNNING out onto the MCG to play for one of the world's oldest football clubs might top this, but that day is still to come.
For now, however, last Saturday was a special day at the Jamie Bennell household that will take some beating.
The best part came when family members, who had gathered to celebrate Bennell's selection by Melbourne in the AFL national draft, each had a turn to say a few words about their boy.
Bennell admitted to shedding a few tears when his Nanna rose to say his Poppy, who had passed away last year, would be looking down from above and be so proud of his grandson.
"Then someone played Poppy's favourite song and there were a few more tears," he said.
It was a special moment, followed by another.
"My girlfriend went up to mum and dad said, 'Mum Leonie, you have raised the most beautiful guy I've ever met'. There were hugs and tears all-round that day."
DARREN MONCRIEFF
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Last Modified on 02/12/2008 21:53