SA Footy

The press release is below. The book tracks five players from early 2007 through the draft until they played senior footy earlier this year. Having read it, it's a great behind the scenes look at what goes on.
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The Draft
Inside the AFL’s Search for Talent
By Emma Quayle

Many boys dream of playing footy for an AFL team. Only a few will make it.

THE DRAFT is the first book to go behind-the-scenes and tell the inside story on all aspects of the drafting process, told from the perspective of five potential draftees as well as the talent scouts, parents and junior coaches.

Up-and-comers Trent Cotchin, Cyril ‘Junior’ Rioli, Brad Ebert, Ben McEvoy and Patrick Veszpremi are in their final year of junior football in 2007 along with 1200 or so hopefuls who nominate for the national AFL draft. They don’t know what their fate will be but they’re determined to give it their best shot. But will their best be good enough? Will they get picked?

Inspiring, accessible and informative, THE DRAFT answers all the important questions, from how a team identifies whether a boy has the talent and mental toughness to be an elite footballer, whether he fits a club’s requirements, and what it feels like to be interviewed by AFL coaches. It’s essential reading for footy fans and aspiring young footballers.

THE DRAFT also offers an exclusive insight into Hawthorn Football Club and their six year plan to revitalise their playing list. After finishing near the bottom in 2004, the Hawks see tactical use of the draft as their pathway to a premiership. Things are going well so far, with the Hawks guaranteed a finals berth in 2008.

A year on from the writing of the book, all five boys have debuted at senior level with Trent Cotchin (Richmond) and Cyril ‘Junior’ Rioli (Hawthorn) both seen as first year stars. Three of the boys – Cotchin, Rioli and Ebert – have also been nominated for the 2008 NAB Rising Star Award.

Emma Quayle is a leading authority on junior football having followed it closely since 2002. An expert on talent identification, she is a senior football writer for The Sunday Age. THE DRAFT is her first book.

Interesting book. I'd love to get a copy.

This sort of thing was done for TV by I think it was the ABC's Australian Story.

Fev featured if I remember correctly.

We're seeing more and more books coming out about football than ever before.

Dogwatcher wrote:Interesting book. I'd love to get a copy.

This sort of thing was done for TV by I think it was the ABC's Australian Story.

Fev featured if I remember correctly.

We're seeing more and more books coming out about football than ever before.

australian story did Fevola, Ramanauskas and Headland over five months in late 1999. As it turned out, they picked probably the three most interesting guys of the 98 draft. Was a very good show that one.

Hopefully the guys selected for this book remain just as interesting in the future.

I guess I would need to see the book, but I would imagine the most difficult thing for the author to do would be to keep it interesting. I mean, how much can you say about draft picks without being silly in retrospect.

I heard Emma interviewed on ABC radio on Sunday, she was great to listen to and knows the draft and kids that have gone through it better than anyone. This book really did sound like a great read, will try and get my hands on one myself.