The Boys Of Bushby Street

The Age

Saturday November 22, 2008

Alan McConnell

The word from Australian Institute of Sport- AFL Academy coach Alan McConnell

MICHAEL WALTERS

Swan Districts, 177cm, 73kg

"Michael was the Kevin Sheehan medallist at the under-16 championships last year. He demonstrated a great capacity to engage with other people within the AIS Academy. He has excellent foot skills and a really lovely side step. He still has some issues with regards to his attention to detail - when he's in camp with us and when he's with his club I'm sure he's fabulous, but he's got to learn to apply those processes to his entire life. That's his challenge but I'd be surprised if he doesn't thrive in an AFL environment, provided he keeps his head down and works hard."

NICK NAITANUI

Swan Districts, 200.9cm, 97kg

"Nick not so long ago didn't even actually know that he wanted to be an AFL footballer. It wasn't until he spent a week training with an AFL club (in January 2007) that he actually decided he wanted do it. Up until that time it was all good fun and exciting and different but he didn't have the same sense of destiny as other boys, it was all just a bit of an adventure. I think his kicking has improved. He's always had quite a good ability to distribute the ball by hand and bring others into the game. His athleticism has always been evident, and the decisionmaking has improved to some degree. He's competitive and aggressive, but he has to get himself into the right space."

CHRIS YARRAN

Swan Districts, 180cm, 83kg

"The personal growth for Chris has been phenomenal. He was a boy who barely put two words together, and now he's comfortable in himself and with where he's at. He'll go out of his way in a room to initiate contact, rather than hide in the corner, which is what he used to do. It's been an incredible journey for him. He's played senior footy at a good standard, held his own, and that's to his credit. He's had a few injuries throughout the course of the year and his form wasn't great coming into the under-18 championships. He probably didn't perform to the level that everybody has expected of him, but he's remained pretty positive and buoyant through that."

© 2008 The Age

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