afl.com.au
Jennifer Phelan and Callum Twomey
November 24, 2015 7:09 PM
WHAT are the Blues getting for their No.1 pick?
Jacob Weitering has been compared to Geelong premiership defender Harry Taylor and has massive leadership potential, having captained Vic Country to victory this year in the NAB AFL Under 18 championships.
Those two things alone are pretty impressive, but there are many reasons why Carlton used the No.1 pick in the NAB AFL Draft to secure him on Tuesday night.
They maintain they didn't speak to him on Tuesday, and stuck with the line that they hadn't entirely settled on him in the hours before the draft kicked off in Adelaide.
But there's no doubt they were sold much earlier than that, given he not only showed incredible potential this year but could easily slot into their line up next season.
When he was in year nine at The Peninsula School, Weitering had a good role model three years ahead of him.
Lachie Whitfield was touted as the likely No.1 draft choice for more than a year before he was finally taken by Greater Western Sydney at the 2012 draft.
Weitering watched Whitfield handle the acclaim and spotlight and still manage to perform on the field. He couldn't have known at the time that in his own draft season – this year – he would be in a very similar position.
Weitering was viewed as the likely No.1 choice from the start of the season, when he dominated older and senior opponents playing for the NAB AFL Academy against VFL teams.
So comprehensive was his case to be taken with the top pick, the Melbourne supporter was interviewed by just two clubs at last month's NAB AFL Combine.
Weitering had fans at the Brisbane Lions, having won over coach Justin Leppitsch when he trained with them last year, but the Queensland club haven't walked away from the draft losers, having secured key forward Josh Schache with the second pick overall in a time where they desperately need to bolster their attack.
To read the full article on afl.com.au, click here
Last Modified on 25/11/2015 14:42