Scouts keeping close eye on high-flying Sturt forward Shane McAdam ahead of AFL draft

SHANE McAdam hails from a WA town of fewer than 2000 people, is the nephew of a Magarey Medallist, has a leap to rival Nic Naitanui and is building an eye-catching SANFL highlight reel while pushing his AFL draft claims.

HE hails from a WA town of fewer than 2000 people, is the nephew of a Magarey Medallist, has a leap to rival Nic Naitanui and is building one of the SANFL’s best highlight reels.

Sturt’s Shane McAdam has emerged as the state league’s most promising mature-age AFL draft prospect this year after kicking 21 goals from 10 games.

McAdam – originally from Halls Creek and the nephew of 1989 Magarey Medallist Gilbert McAdam – joined the Double Blues during pre-season from division three Adelaide Footy League club Scotch Old Collegians.

Since then, the 23-year-old forward has taken several SANFL mark of the year contenders, become just as renowned for his chase-down tackles and is now being watched closely by scouts each week.

Shane McAdam has been starring for Sturt this year. Picture Matt Turner.

One AFL recruiter says McAdam, who is 185cm and 84kg, has a lot of traits that appeal to teams at the elite level.

“He’s quick, he tackles, he’s good overhead and he’s got a good goal sense,” says the recruiter, who has seen McAdam play several times this season.

“Some forwards are talented offensively but don’t really switch on quickly defensively but this bloke goes from attack to defence pretty quick.

“I’ve got no idea where he’ll end up going but there’ll be plenty of (AFL) clubs looking at him.”

McAdam’s football journey started with his hometown Halls Creek Hawks, in the East Kimberley league, near the Northern Territory border.

He returned to the Hawks for part of 2016 after playing 11 WAFL games for Claremont the previous season.

Sturt’s Shane McAdam, pictured playing for Claremont in 2015.

“He was very good – just a natural,” Halls Creek’s long-time president Trish McKay says.

“He knew where to go and what to do, and he was very happy-go-lucky.”

Former Sturt player Shane Radbone helped get McAdam to Scotch Old Collegians last year and was also a link to him going to Unley, along with McAdam’s cousin, Double Blue Tye Bedford.

McAdam booted 28 goals in 11 games for Scotch, including 11 majors in a best-on-ground performance against Broadview in May 2017.

“The first thing I said when I saw him was if he wants to make it, he’ll make it,” Scotch coach and ex-South Adelaide player Kym Cobb says.

Cobb remembers McAdam had “the ball on a string” in the game versus Broadview.

“When he wasn’t marking it that day, he was dancing around blokes and snapping them out of his backside,” he recalls.

Dual Sturt premiership coach Marty Mattner says McAdam is one of the most exciting players he has coached but is not surprised by his progress.

Sturt AFL draft prospect Shane McAdam evades West Adelaide’s Errin Wasley-Black earlier this season. Picture Matt Turner.

Mattner was aware of McAdam’s talent last year after he arrived in town too late to make Sturt’s squad.

“It was probably just his fitness that he lacked the most because he’d played at an amateur level,” Mattner says.

“He can do everything – chase, tackle, take a pack mark, be a lead-up forward.

“He’s something you don’t see in the SANFL that much because those guys are good and playing in the AFL.”

Sturt coach Marty Mattner addresses his players, including AFL draft prospect Shane McAdam, during the club’s clash against West Adelaide this season. Picture Matt Turner.

In 2015, McAdam impressed at the WA state draft combine by equalling Naitanui’s running vertical jump record (102cm from reach height), finishing first in the 20m sprint (2.89 sec) and second in the agility test (8.04 sec) but was ultimately overlooked by AFL clubs.

“He was disappointed he didn’t get drafted in his draft year but now … he’s trying to do everything he can to get drafted again,” Mattner says.

“Hopefully he gets an opportunity.”