Teen makes league debut in South AustraliaFOLLOWING in the footsteps of celebrated Indigenous footballer, Gavin Wanganeen, who debuted for the Port Adelaide Magpies as a 16-year-old in 1990, the South Adelaide Football Club has unveiled another Indigenous teenage talent in the opening round of the 2009 SANFL campaign.
In the Panthers' first victory in the season-opener Liam Corrie had his first taste of league football at the club's home ground, Alan Hickinbotham Oval, against West Adelaide. To cap his debut off, South Adelaide won the game by 10 points.
"As an elusive, quick and clever player with his hands, Liam is a naturally talented young footballer, but there is still plenty of scope for improvement," Panthers football manager, Neale Sharpe, said.
"He's a shy, level-headed young man and he doesn't seem to get overawed by much. While he didn't have a big impact on the game, he copped a heavy knock in the second quarter and the opposition player was reported for forceful contact, (receiving a week's suspension). He's pretty strong-willed and despite being dazed, he wanted to get among the action again."
It is certainly a meteoric rise for the teenager. This time last year, he was playing for Morphett Vale in the Southern Football League, the local suburban competition south of Adelaide. When he was 15, Liam was a member of the Emus team that lost the grand final to Cove.
There is no doubting his football heritage, either. Liam is a cousin of the AFL's Davey brothers, Aaron and Alwyn, and a relation to former Brisbane and now Collingwood player, Anthony Corrie.
At 175cm and 71kg, the lightly framed on-baller and small forward is in the State's under-18s academy, coached by SANFL talent manager Brenton Phillips.
"It was a tough initiation for Liam at league level but he was part of a winning side in his first game," South Adelaide coach, Clay Sampson, said. "For his age and size, he is a tough little footballer. We were just wrapped with the way he prepared for the game and it was good for him to get a first taste of league football. He will start his career as a small forward, but with an improvement in fitness, he has the capacity, skill and awareness to play a role as a midfielder."
Sampson, an AFL premiership player with Adelaide in 1997, played alongside Alwyn Davey at the Panthers before he got drafted, and he suggested that while Liam will be grow to be bigger in size he has the same attributes as the now Essendon footballer.
Phillips agreed that while the 16-year-old still had a lot to learn about the game, he is a genuine talent.
"In time he will be able to play both the role of a small forward and on-baller, but he needs to adjust to the pace of league football," Phillips said. "Once he adjusts to the change of intensity, he'll continue to grow."
* John Althorp, South Adelaide Football Club historian, has suggested former Panther Wayne Slattery the only other South Adelaide player he knew of who played league football before he was 17, being the youngest at 16 years-5 months and debuting April 1, 1977. Liam Corrie is believed to be the second youngest at 16 years-9 months.
PETER ARGENT
PLA.Wordsmith@bigpond.com
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Last Modified on 01/06/2009 02:23