Top cricketer Sam Rahaley starring for Rostrevor’s first XVIII college footy team
A top young SA cricketer is also proving to be a handy footballer. Could he be the next Alex Keath and attract interest from AFL recruiters? Find out here.
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Sam Rahaley’s number one focus has always been cricket.
But when he received a call from Rostrevor’s first XVIII college football coach James Allan to help cover a growing injury list, Rahaley couldn’t say no.
The Year 12 has been a revelation for Rostrevor in the Messenger Shield competition, booting 11 goals in just three games.
Australian cricket selectors can rejoice with Rahaley saying he will not follow ex-Crows, current Western Bulldogs defender Alex Keath’s path and trade his bat for a footy.
Keath chose a cricket career over signing an AFL deal, only to become an elite footballer four years later.
Rahaley said representing his school in the college football competition was an offer too good to refuse.
But earning a Redbacks contract and then playing for Australia was still his main focus.
“I hadn’t played footy since about Year 9,” Rahaley said.
“But I try to play school sport as much as I can.
“When the opportunity (to play school footy) came up, I thought I’d better take it because I’d hate myself if I didn’t.
“I didn’t do pre-season and I didn’t play the first couple of games.
“But the team had a few injuries so that led them being in desperate need and I said I’d play one week and that led to another and now it looks like I’ll play the last two games.
“I’m really enjoying it — I just love playing for the school.”
Rahaley booted two gaols in Rostrevor’s narrow one-point loss to St Peter’s last week and four majors in the round six win against Immanuel.
He said being about 192cm helped with his football but he was still getting used to how physical Aussie rules was compared to cricket.
“I am just trying to have as much fun as I can this year with footy,” Rahaley said.
“I still find cricket the most fun and that’s kind of like the business area for me.
“Having a blank canvas (with footy) and not expecting much going in, I was just taking it step-by-step.
“I’m not the physical, head over the football type of player but I don’t mind kicking a few goals.
“I’ve just been lucky enough to finish off some good team stuff.”
Rahaley’s glittering cricket career, meanwhile, really took off two years ago when he made history for Kensington District Cricket Club, becoming the youngest male to make his A-grade debut at 15 years and six days.
Since then, the batsman has taken his game to new heights and last year represented Cricket Australia in the under-19 male national championship.
He is also in the under-19 SA cricket squad with the national championships rescheduled for April 2021 due to COVID-19.
“With cricket, it’s just about training as hard as I can and trying to make as many grade runs as I can when the competition starts,” Rahaley said.
Rahaley has two games remaining with Rostrevor’s college football campaign — a match against Pembroke at home this Saturday before hosting Sacred Heart in the annual intercol.
“Hopefully we can show the competition how good we are, we just have to show it,” Rahaley said.
“We really want to get an intercol win.
“That was one thing that really pushed me when I had an opportunity to come and play football — the intercol at the end of the year — you get pumped for those types of games.”