North Adelaide’s Harrison Wigg one of SA’s top AFL draft prospects

NORTH Adelaide’s AFL draft prospect Harrison Wigg looks at a message on his left hand before every game to remind him of his late father Colin.

NORTH Adelaide footballer Harrison Wigg looks at his left hand before every game he plays.

Written on it are CW – the initials of his earliest mentor and greatest critic.

Wigg’s father Colin died of a heart attack in January 2012.

More than two years on, Wigg, 18, will likely be one of the first picked from SA at this month’s AFL national draft.

His dad is always in his thoughts.

“When he passed away it taught me not to take things for granted,” Wigg says.

“It came out of nowhere.

“It was pretty tough at first but we had good family support ... and good support from North.

“I normally write his initials on my hand or somewhere I can see them before every game.

“He’d come to every game so I feel like he’s here still.

“It definitely gives me extra motivation to do it for him, as well as myself.”

Wigg was the Croweaters’ MVP and an all-Australian after impressing as a half-back flanker with a pinpoint left-foot kick during the midyear national under-18 titles, which SA won.

He says his disposal has improved after years using mates and Colin, a former Victorian country footballer, as kicking targets.

“I don’t think my kick’s as good as people say but I’ve done a lot of practice over the last four years, which has benefited me in the long run.”

Wigg joined North Adelaide’s under-13s after playing juniors at Fitzroy and Walkerville.

He still remembers Colin’s voice bellowing over suburban grounds telling him to “run, run, run”.

“I could just hear him yelling on the sidelines all the time.

“He’d always tell me what I was doing right and wrong.”

Wigg has risen through the ranks at the Roosters, playing two reserves and four under-18 games this past season.

In July, he sustained a stress reaction in his third metatarsal in his right foot after a game for Prince Alfred College.

The setback led to him spending six weeks in a moon boot and missing the latter part of the season, as well as last month’s national draft combine in Melbourne.

“It’s all good now and in about another month, I’ll be back to full training.”

Wigg plans to watch the draft at home in Prospect with his mother Maureen.

“It’s always been the dream to play AFL so to be in the position I am now is a real privilege.

“I know the family would be very stoked if I was drafted and I know my dad would be proud.”