You can bank on Deledio firing again
12 February 2006
Sunday Herald Sun
Jackie Epstein
THERE were no lavish trips or indulgent shopping sprees during Brett Deledio's off-season break.
The $10,000 he won as the NAB Rising Star winner is in the bank and will lie idle until he finds the right house.
It is responsible thinking, which comes as no surprise when you consider the 18-year-old played 22 games and swept all before him in his first season at the top.
Carrying the tag of No.1 draft pick, Deledio made the smoothest of transitions from Kyabram to the big smoke. The blond-tipped teenager with the white boots was one of the competition's brightest young prospects.
Such has been his impact that Richmond is to start negotiations to sign him up for another two years after this season.
Now minus the blond tips because he was told "it's out" by the boys, he is preparing for his second season with expectation rather than trepidation.
"I'd love to play every game again and hopefully stay injury-free," he said.
"I want to try and build up and be strong enough to be an inside player onball.
"Plenty of people say that you can have second-year blues, but you get through that with the help of your teammates. You just go out and try to win the footy.
"I feel a bit smarter about how I'm going about things.
"Last year I wasn't sure what was going on and was pretty nervous about every session, but this year you know what's coming. But it's still a lot of hard work."
Deledio also represented Australia against Ireland in the International Rules series, won the grand final sprint and the AFL Players' Association best first-year player, which meant the most because it was voted on "by the people you play with".
The family home is filled with pictures, trophies and mementoes and not only from football achievements.
A brilliant junior cricketer, Deledio swung the bat last weekend as a fill-in for Kyabram's seconds, making 74 and taking a wicket.
"There's not much harm in it, not trying to bowl flat out, it's just good fun," he said.
"I always love to get back there and see the family. It's good fun living down here, there's always stuff to do, but it's a lot different. I love getting back and hanging out with my mates."
Deledio has put on 7kg since arriving at Punt Rd.
"This year they've been a lot smarter and they're building us up to be ready for Round 1 and the start of the NAB Cup," he said.
"We're doing a lot of leg weights which has helped me get a little bit quicker, so I feel a lot stronger through the hips and core areas so hopefully that will be beneficial through the season."
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