Lloydy leads three Dolphs to Draft CampsWhen Sam Lloyd is asked whether 12 months ago, after just losing a heartbreaking MPNFL grand final with Mt Eliza, he could imagine where he would be today he doesn’t have to think for long.
“No, not even close mate,” he said with his Deniliquin twang.
At that point he had played four games for Essendon’s VFL team at the end of the season before helping the Redlegs to the local league decider, and he knew what he had to do to become a mainstay at state league level.
“After we lost the grand final I think I only took a week or two off, I thought I've got to get a lot fitter to play VFL,” he said.
His aim was to get a regular senior game for Frankston, but instead he electrified the boisterous Frankston Park crowds with his incredible snaps and high-flying marks, providing the x-factor the club had been missing since Justin Berry’s retirement.
The Dolphins triumphed six times in 2013, more than the previous three years combined, and for Lloyd it is a year he will never forget.
“The way things have turned out has been awesome, it’s a bit surreal,” he said.
“Winning the games we did and playing the state game. Frankston as a club is awesome, so every bit of being at the club has been great.”
Perhaps Lloyd’s most memorable moment was the Dolphins’ first win against competition powerhouse Port Melbourne, who had played in the previous two grand finals and lost just six games in two years.
...
The efforts of Lloyd and former Redleg buddies Mike Lourey and Scott Simpson were also very impressive, as the trio fitted seamlessly into the club’s culture and earned higher honours.
“We all made the decision together to go down and play for Frankston,” he said.
“To play well together, make the state team and the team of the year together was awesome. I don’t think Mt Eliza were too happy but we loved it.”
Lloyd said the Mt Eliza trio took particular inspiration from two lion-hearted Dolphins, ruckman Russ Gabriel, who also made the VFL Team of the Year, and midfielder Shane Hockey, who inexplicably missed out after an incredible season around the packs.
“Shane and Russ, I reckon they sum up Frankston,” Lloyd said.
“Especially Shanna, everyone knows his story, and Russ comes up against ruckman who seem a foot taller than him each week and he still dominates, he still makes such an impact.”
The impact of Lloyd’s 38 goals and regular highlight reel plays has been an invite to the AFL Draft Combine in Canberra from October 1-4, while Simpson and Zig Alwan have gained places at the AFL State Screening.
The sociable Lloyd chose to skip the end of year festivities and has been training every day, replicating agility, sprint and beep tests and working on his conditioning to make sure he makes this shot at the big time count.
“I just want to do every test to the best that I can, stop only when I have to stop, just give 110 per cent,” he said.
“After that Ill finally have a bit of a spell and it will be out of my hands – if they want me they want me.”
If the predictions are correct the call of ‘Lloydy’ won’t reverberate around Frankston Park again next year, but like Mt Eliza before them the Dolphins will be glad for the time he graced their paddock.
http://www.sportingpulse.com/club_info.cgi?client=1-118-10474-253880-18717706&sID=207165&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=25487108
