Collins off to Punt Road
Bendigo Advertiser
Monday, 27 November 2006
SEVEN months can be a long time in football - just ask Andrew Collins.
In April, Collins couldn't break into the starting 18 for the Bendigo Pioneers - the side that finished on the bottom of the TAC Cup ladder with just three wins.
But fast forward to November and Collins is now preparing to embark on an AFL career with Richmond after being selected with pick 73 in Saturday's National Draft.
'‘Starting on the bench with the Pioneers for the first four weeks of the season was interesting, but I was always trying to get into the midfield, and over the last three games of the year I got in there and averaged my 30 possessions a game," Collins said.
‘‘I had what I considered a very good pre-season and I was feeling very fit and keen for the start of the season, and I supposed it knocked me back a bit starting on the bench, so I had to try to go out and prove them (the coaching staff) wrong." The 18-year-old played 17 games for the Pioneers this year, averaging 11 kicks, seven handballs and four marks per game.
Collins said he was reasonably confident of being selected on Saturday after a number of clubs, including Richmond, Brisbane, West Coast, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Melbourne had shown interest in him.
The Collins family listened to the draft broadcast on Melbourne sports radio station SEN 1116am at their Bridgewater farm and was sent into raptures when Andrew's name was called out at 11 am.
‘‘It was just sheer excitement when my name was read out," he said.
Although confident of having his name called out, it hadn't sunk in yet when Collins was speaking to The Advertiser on his way to a Richmond function on Saturday afternoon.
‘‘It has been flat out; people came over straight away and I have been on the phone and receiving text messages, and then it has been straight in the car and down to Melbourne," he said.
‘‘So I haven't really had time to think about it yet." Collins, who ran a 14.8 beep test at the state screening session, is expecting to spend a fair portion of the pre-season in the gym at Punt Road to add bulk to his 71 kg body. '‘With a reasonably light body I will be wanting to have a big pre-season and get in the gym and put on a couple of kilograms," he said.
‘‘But hopefully, I can play some AFL football next year." AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan said he was pleased to see another player from Sandhurst - his former club - make it onto an AFL list. '‘He is the type of kid who is versatile," Sheehan said.
‘‘He is athletic enough for the game and has won himself a spot on a list.
‘‘He has impressed the Richmond people at the right time, which is what you need to do." Pioneers' regional manager Ray Byrne believes Collins' standout performance in the TAC Cup versus All-Stars game enhanced his chances of being drafted.
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