Little wonder Foley thinks big
Lyall Johnson | June 30, 2007 | The Age
ASK just about anyone at the Richmond Football Club and they will agree. Should the Jack Dyer Medal count be held today, Nathan Foley would win by the length of Punt Road — and not just the oval.
Foley averages 25 possessions a game (eighth in the AFL) and he's in the upper levels of statistical measures such as bounces (first, with 5.7 a game), handballs (third), contested possessions (10th) and tackles (14th).
As a result, he's launched himself from the bottom of the pack into the midfield group ahead of first-round draft picks Brett Deledio, Richard Tambling and Danny Meyer.
It was only two years ago that Foley was a second-year rookie, plying his trade at Coburg. Fate would have it that he broke through for his first senior game against Melbourne in round 10, 2005, the same night the team's other Nathan — Brown — broke his leg in such horrendous fashion.
One Nathan's bad luck turned out to be another's fortune. Foley did his hamstring and missed four games, but then played five more games that season and was promoted to the senior list. He hasn't looked back.
In 2003, Foley was overlooked in the Adam Cooney, Andrew Walker and Colin Sylvia national draft — a letdown which, according to those close to him in his home town of Colac, left him extremely disappointed for several days. Melbourne invited him to pre-season training, only to overlook him for a speedy youngster by the name of Aaron Davey in the rookie draft.
Richmond then threw him a lifeline.
Like Davey and Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell, Foley is an example of how players can slip under the radar for whatever reason — in Foley's case, it was mainly his 177-centimetre frame — before turning out to be just as impressive as the players who enter the AFL through the front door.
Those same people at Richmond who are thrilled with Foley's progress know well that he has not got where he is through luck. The main factors driving his success are a mountain of hard work and strong desire to improve.
Richmond's conditioning coach Matt Hornsby has to remain vigilant to ensure Foley isn't sneaking into the gym on his days off for extra weights work, and he isn't spending too much time on the training track doing additional work. Hornsby admits it's a good problem to have.
The Tigers' assistant coaches have similar issues with the 21-year-old midfielder. According to football manager Paul Armstrong: "Every time you look up, he's sitting next to David King, Brian Royal or Jade Rawlings and Craig McRae, viewing tapes with those guys. He's never satisfied with the level he's at."
Talk to Royal, a long-time assistant coach, and you get the impression that while he may not quite be in awe of Foley, he's certainly hugely impressed with him as a footballer and a person.
"He's probably one of the hardest-working players that I have ever been involved with," Royal said. "Tony Liberatore was one of the most determined and dedicated I played with and coached, and I reckon Nathan is up there with him.
"He spends every daylight hour wanting to find out how he can get better, whether it is here watching tapes, whether it's studying other players, whether it's in the gym or out on the ground improving his skills.
"He is the ultimate team player, he's very disciplined, he does exactly what the coaches wants him to do. On top of that, he's just a genuine person. You can't help taking him under your wing and liking him."
But it would be too convenient a rags-to-riches story to say that Foley arrived at Richmond without any attributes.
Those who knew him at junior level say he had explosive pace (he was second overall in 2003 amongst TAC players over 20 metres) and a tremendous ability to find the ball. His disposal might have needed a bit of improvement but his competitiveness, willingness to learn, and attitude to himself and his football were second to none.
Of the many things that impressed Michael Turner, his coach at the Geelong Falcons, on top of the list was not so much that he won the club's best-and-fairest award in 2003, but the speech he gave in accepting it.
"At the time Nathan came along, clubs wanted the tall athletic player and that went against him a little bit," Turner said. "He won our best and fairest that year and in Nathan Foley's case, whatever deficiency he had in height — and maybe his kicking needed to improve a little bit — he more than made up in character.
"He was always a kid that was going to work really hard. And when we had our presentation night, he probably made the best speech I have ever heard — and I've been doing this job for 13 years.
"He didn't have any notes and never missed anyone in the room.
"Went through everyone and everything and just picked everyone off and thanked everyone and it was just outstanding."
Apart from improved kicking, Foley has benefited from a change in physique and learning how to use his pace to damage opponents.
Having transformed his body from "stocky and nuggety" to "strong and athletic", Foley has learnt that the best midfielders not only get the ball and use it well, but they can use their pace to break out of packs and race away.
Chris Judd does it as a matter of course. Foley's efforts against Melbourne last week, when he twice grabbed the ball on the defensive 50 arc and didn't kick it until he hit his attacking 50, were from the same page.
"He's come from a nuggety little inside player who tested quick but wasn't a quick footballer and in two years has changed himself into a real damaging player who is dynamic and quick once he gets the footy," Royal said.
"He had 23 possessions and he said to me, 'I had a bit of a quiet game', because he's been getting 25 to 30 touches. But what you have to take into account is that he was getting tagged by Simon Godfrey and still had five goal assists; five times his delivery turned into a goal. That's enormous."
Foley is obviously pleased with his development, but less than comfortable talking about it, much less his chances of taking out the best and fairest.
"I had no option to work hard," he said. "The rookie-list guys are on one-year contracts.
"Two years ago, I wouldn't have imagined I'd be where I am. There's a long way to go in the year. I haven't thought about (the best and fairest). I've got a lot of improving to do …
"I don't know what to say."
2003■ Best and fairest — Geelong Falcons
■ TAC team of the year
■ Rookie selection: Richmond
2004■ Played 19 games in VFL for Coburg
2005■ Debut in round 10 as a rookie against Melbourne
■ Played six games for season
2006■ Elevated to senior list, played 21 games
■ Rising Star nomination, round 19
2007■ After round 12, sits 12th in The Age footballer-of-the-year award
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