Power rookie's debut full of highlights
THEY say to always keep the best for last. How that saying came about we're not exactly sure but Port Adelaide rookie Wade Thompson's blistering three-goal effort against Sydney on Sunday added some weight to that theory.
Thompson's senior debut match was perhaps the best by last year's draftees at the completion of the three week-long opening round of the AFL's pre-season NAB Cup on Sunday.
The 20-year-old Nunga man from the rich football nursery that is South Australia's west coast, scythed his way through the Swans' defence to gather 11 possessions, three marks and three goals, the first at full-tilt from an angle with a banana punt that belied his inexperience at AFL level.
Thompson's efforts shadowed ever so slightly that of No.3 draft selection, Fremantle's Stephen Hill. The agile youngster, who drew comparisons to Michael Long from his coach Mark Harvey, Long's former team-mate, last month, nailed a nine-point super-goal against Richmond a week ago and looked the part in the Dockers' three-point loss.
Power coach Mark Williams praised Thompson's performance but tempered that with a reality check for the former North Adleaide player, who the club took at No.4 in the rookie draft.
"He was pretty exciting. We thought we got something special there and it was nice for him to be able to deliver today," he said. "Certainly, one little cameo doesn't make too much of a blip on the footy world ... he needs to back that up. There is a lot of great support at our club; the Indigenous players really support each other and it's fantastic to think he's got that support as a player."
In Melbourne on Friday night, Carlton's Jefferey Garlett upstaged his more hyped countryman Chris Yarran with a handy outing in front of goal against North Melbourne. Garlett booted two goals, one a clever snap over his left shoulder, from five attempts at the big sticks and was a threat to the Roos' defence.
Yarran's debut ended early when he hobbled from the field after rolling his ankle with just seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Other debutants who played well included Adelaide's Jared Petrenko, elevated to the Crows' senior list last year, who found some nice touch in the forward line when shifted from defence against Geelong on Saturday night. And West Coast's Adam Cockie had 20-odd possessions and adapted well to the pace of AFL football in the Eagles' loss to Collingwood in the opening match of the round.
Davey 'lucky' while Motlop, McGrath accept reprimands
MELBOURNE'S Aaron Davey came away relatively unscathed from an ugly contest with Hawthorn's Clinton Young in their NAB Cup match at Launceston on Saturday. Davey landed horizontally when Young came in late to a marking duel and was lucky not to sustain a back injury.
The collision, of which Young escaped with a reprimand after being charged with a Level 1 offence for engaging in rough conduct, brought back the controversy of alleged 'tunnelling', first levelled at Sydney last year, whereby players' legs are taken out from beneath them from an opponent coming in late to a marking contest.
Port Adelaide's Daniel Motlop also accepted a reprimand and the 93.75 penalty points for his 'bum' bump on Sydney's Jesse White yesterday. Motlop was charged with a Level 1 offence for engaging in rough conduct when he bumped White with his posterior to the side of the Swans' head.
Brisbane's Ashley McGrath was another to accept a reprimand after he was charged with a Level 1 offence for making forceful contact from front-on on St Kilda’s Brendan Goddard at Carrara on the Gold Coast.
DARREN MONCRIEFF
Darren@AboriginalFootball.com.au
Monday, February 23, 2009
Last Modified on 23/02/2009 23:19