Jake Weidemann – son of Crows cult figure Wayne Weidemann – wants to forge his own AFL career
JAKE Weidemann – the son of former Adelaide Crows cult figure Wayne Weidemann – hopes to create his own legacy if he lands on an AFL list.
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HE DOES not plan on growing a long, blond mullet or smashing through packs with brutal force.
Instead, Jake Weidemann – the son of former Adelaide Crows cult figure Wayne Weidemann – hopes to create his own legacy if he lands on an AFL list.
Jake, a utility at Wayne’s former SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens, has emerged as a draft prospect this year after representing SA at the national under-18 championships and also playing six reserves and 10 under-18 games for the Eagles.
But Jake, 18, says he and his Dad are very different players.
“I won’t be growing a mullet anytime soon,” Jake, of Rosewater, says with a laugh.
“A bit of outside noise has said ‘you should be like your old man’.
“But I know we are completely different players, so I don’t put any real pressure on myself to be too much like him.
“He was a lot harder at the body than I am and he was a bit more obvious when he did it.”
Wayne played 68 games for Adelaide 1991-96, becoming a favourite with the Crows crowd who called “Weed” when he was in possession of the ball.
But he did not begin his AFL career until he was 24 – something Jake planned to use as motivation if he was not selected in this Friday’s national draft or as a rookie next week.
“
If I don’t get picked up, I will definitely hang around footy and try to play as much league (with the Eagles) as I can and work my way back into the system,” he says.
Wayne is nervous for Jake but excited that he may follow in his footsteps.
“He’s a completely different player to me and he’ll make his own way,” Wayne, now 51, says.
“He’s probably not as reckless as I was and he is a bit smarter, and much more skilful.
“If he was able to play at the same club that I did, I think that would be fantastic.
“But he’d be happy to go anywhere in any state and at any footy club.”