Falcon rises to AFL elite
Joel Cresswell
Geelong Advertiser
April 3rd, 2009
NATHAN Foley is among football's most prized commodities - one of a new breed of desired players which has (momentarily at least) superseded the perfect athlete, agile big man and goal square goliath.
He is the elite performer and solid citizen (EPSC) - football's final frontier.
Newly discovered, the EPSCs are intelligent, affable and level-headed.
They will tell journalists they're 'taking it one week at a time' or 'getting back on the horse', which, when combined with their aversion to beer bongs and drink driving, allows them to avoid the headlines.
They have become the perfect ambassadors for their clubs and as a result are now rising to the rank of captain (see Tom Harley, Nick Maxwell), a role previously reserved for EPBS - elite performer boisterous star (see Wayne Carey, Ben Cousins).
Foley too, has been elevated to a leadership position, the Tigers vice-captaincy.
It is a post which Geelong Falcons manager Mick Turner could've recommended him for six years ago.
Turner spent the lead-up to the 2003 national draft spruiking the strengths of his captain and best and fairest to any recruiter who would listen.
None did and the Colac boy was forced into the rookie draft.
"One recruiting manager teed up an interview with Nathan down at the Mercure in Geelong - when Nathan walked into the room his comment to me was that it was like watching a jockey walk in," Turner said this week.
"A lot of clubs at the time thought Nathan was a bit small. I think a few had queries over his pace and skill, but if they did a little more homework on him they would've realised he had great character and he was an out-and-out professional.
"I remember on the best and fairest night quite clearly when he got up to speak. He didn't have any notes, but he didn't miss anyone in the room when he came to thank people.
"He was always an excellent professional and I think that's one of the mistakes the AFL clubs made at the time."
These days, Turner says AFL clubs have increasingly broadened their recruiting scopes.
"They gather a lot of information through fitness tests and draft camps and watching them play and the Champion Data stats, but they spend a hell of a lot more time now just finding out what the kid is like.
"They'll interview myself and (Falcons coach) Gary Hocking, the player's parents and the player himself to gain as much information as possible about their character," he said.
"That's now the key component.
"You can have a lot of ability and go to an AFL club but if you haven't got the character to drive it you're not worth anything. When Nathan was coming through they were all after the supreme athlete.
"What they found out was the supreme athlete might not necessarily have the best work ethic, wasn't the best decision-maker and certainly didn't kick the ball all that well."
Richmond selected Nathan at pick four in that year's rookie draft after the 178cm midfielder had spent the lead-up training with Melbourne.
He made his senior debut in round 10 of 2005, finished the 2007 season runner-up in the Tigers' best and fairest and heads into tomorrow's match against Geelong as the Tigers' No.1 midfielder.
Through the story of his ascension, his onfield feats and over a phone line, the 23-year-old gives the impression of a man supremely confident in his ability.
But years on, the disappointment of draft day is still palpable in his voice.
Down the phone at least, it sounds like he readjusts in his seat as he prepares to answer.
"It was disappointing, it's a tough day, draft day, for a lot of people," he said.
"There are a lot of juniors trying to get drafted and there are only 80 or so taken it's always a tough day.
"I wouldn't say I expected to get drafted, but I thought I was a chance.
"You just hope to get that opportunity whether it be on a (senior) list or a rookie list. I think once you get to a club, if you do the right things and play well enough you'll get noticed.
"I was lucky, when (coach) Terry (Wallace) came along. He said from the start, rookie or non-rookie, if you play well enough you'll get opportunities. That was nice to hear."
A recurring yarn in the football world, and a favourite among Richmond fans, is how hard Nathan worked on his game once given that opportunity.
Arriving at the Tigers as a medium-paced, inside midfielder with modest skills he started work with the club's fitness expert to completely overhaul his leg speed.
Tireless work on his kicking fashioned him into one of the club's best ball users, which in tandem with his newly acquired speed and powerful ball-winning ability, equates to a powerful package.
This transformation, long since recognised by the Tiger faithful, became blatantly obvious to the wider football public in last season's Hall of Fame match.
A surprise selection for many, Nathan's pace saw him repeatedly cut a swathe through the centre of the MCG as he finished among Victoria's best.
His performance wasn't a surprise to anyone at Richmond, or Turner.
And you get the sense Nathan always knew he had it in him.
But equally, he believes talk of his unlikely success, his 8-Mile moment, is overplayed.
"I don't think it makes it (success) all the more sweeter, everyone just goes about it (their career) different ways," he said. "That was just the way I had to go about it.
"Whichever way you go it's always rewarding to work hard and achieve.
"Your goal is to always improve, you're always trying to become an elite player.
"These days if you play in the midfield it's very important to have a lot of damage (with your possessions), so ideally I'd like to be a player who can be kicking midfield goals, have a high number of effective inside 50s."
Turner has little doubt Foley will become the player he wants to be.
"Nathan Foley became a league footballer because he's got an attitude that includes coachability and work ethic - he'll become an elite player," he said.
"He is just an outstanding character - he would never do anything to embarrass himself, his family or his club."
And aren't the Tigers happy to hear that!
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