Expect the unexpected from excitement machine Kysaiah Pickett, says uncle Byron
“He can run, jump, kick goals, tackle and take a big screamer,’’ Byron Pickett says of his nephew, 2019 AFL draft prospect Kysaiah Pickett.
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Expect the unexpected. That is the catchcry that followed Port Adelaide hard man and Norm Smith Medallist Byron Pickett throughout his distinguished and, at times controversial, football career.
And it is how the former bone-crunching powerhouse has labelled another Pickett who is on the verge of taking the football world by storm, his nephew Kysaiah.
“What would I say about Kysaiah, expect the unexpected,’’ Byron said.
“He plays differently than me but he’s got it all, a lot of tricks, the whole package.
“He can run, jump, kick goals, tackle and take a big screamer. He’s not a big kid in size (170cm, 67kg) but he’s big in action.
“When he is around the ball, you can expect something to happen.
“I’m excited to see what he can do and hopefully everything goes well for him before the draft.’’
Kysaiah, 18, is an excitement machine with exhilarating pace, spectacular jumping ability and x-factor.
He is one of South Australia’s top draft prospects this year.
A high-flying forward/midfielder who was named in the Australian under-18 team, Kysaiah made his SANFL league debut for Woodville-West Torrens against Sturt in round two — a week after kicking six goals in an electrifying reserves performance against North Adelaide.
He already has an extensive highlights reel and will be one of the Croweaters’ trump cards in the AFL under-18 championships, which kicked off on the weekend.
SA — last year’s division one winner — opens its campaign against Western Australia in Perth on June 15.
Byron — one of just 12 players with two premiership medallions (North Melbourne 1999, Port 2004), a Norm Smith Medal (2004) and more than 200 AFL games (204, including 120 for the Roos from 1997-2002, 55 for the Power from 2003-05 and 29 for Melbourne from 2006-07) — has played a key role in Kysaiah’s development.
The son of Byron’s sister, Olivia, who is based in the small Western Australia country town of Quairading, Kysaiah moved to Adelaide to live with Byron five years ago to improve his football and schooling.
Born in Port Lincoln and nicknamed “Kozzy”, he has boarded at prestigious Prince Alfred College for the past two years.
Princes coach Marty McKinnon, a former Adelaide, Geelong and Brisbane wingman, described him as “an electric talent’’.
“He’s a fantastic ball handler and has the ability to do the exciting — both on the ground and in the air. He’s a real eye-catching player,” he said.
Kysaiah said Byron had “been great for me’’.
“I used to watch uncle Byron play when I was younger and have always looked up to him,’’ he said.
“He’s helped a lot with my football while also keeping me on track and out of trouble off the field.
“He gives me a lot of lifestyle advice and has young sons that he says look up to me and that I’ve got to be a role model for, so I take that on board.
“I want to do the family name proud and hopefully emulate what uncle Byron did in the AFL.’’
Byron, now 42, in 2005 was acknowledged as one of the finest Aboriginal players in the history of the game, with his selection to the indigenous Team of the Century.
Renowned for his bruising bumps and tough approach to the game, he won the AFL Rising Star award in 1998 and was an All-Australian in 1999, representing SA in State-of-Origin football in both years.
He has five children, three girls and two boys, aged 12 to 21.
Sons Kayde, 12, and Byron, 14, play football for Port Districts and, like Kysaiah, show great promise.
“Kysaiah could be anything if he puts his mind to it,’’ said Byron, who works part-time in Roxby Downs with Roxby Earthmoving.
“He just has to make sure he doesn’t get ahead of himself and needs to stay away from any naughty mates, which is the advice I give him.
“Life is a bit different than it was 10 years ago, with all the violence on city streets, so I just try to make sure that he avoids the wrong places and that the people he is hanging out with are doing the right things and helping to look after him.’’
Kysaiah embraces his aboriginal heritage — “it’s important to me,’’ he said — and when he returns home to WA he likes nothing more than going hunting for kangaroos, rabbits and goannas.
While the draft is still six months away, he said five AFL clubs had already spoken to him — Melbourne, GWS, Hawthorn, Collingwood and St Kilda.
FIVE OTHER CROWEATERS TO WATCH
WILL GOULD
Glenelg
Key defender
18, 191cm, 98kg
One of just three bottom-aged players — and the only one from South Australia — selected in last year’s All-Australian under-18 team after playing an impressive role in the Croweaters’ division one carnival triumph. Key forward-turned-defender Gould has made the step up to SANFL league level for Glenelg this season with ease, being part of a backline unit that boasts the best defensive record in the league. He’s powerful, reads the game well, has strong hands and possesses a booming right-foot kick. Has been likened to West Coast premiership captain Shannon Hurn.
SA under-18 coach Tony Bamford says: “Will’s challenge will be to find the same high level performances at under-18 national level that he had as a bottom-ager because quite often you see guys that had really good bottom-age years tend to start a bit slowly the following year. He would have been drafted as a defender last year, if he had been eligible, but we’ll showcase him a bit more through the midfield this time around. He’ll end up being your Hurn type in the AFL because of his ability to stand talls and smalls.’’
DYLAN STEPHENS
Norwood
Midfielder
18, 183cm, 70kg
Classy left-footer is quick and damaging, possessing an elite disposal efficiency of 91 per cent in five SANFL league games for the Redlegs this season. Averages 17.6 disposals and has kicked two goals at league level for a side considered one of the premiership favourites. Stephens, who also has great endurance, grew up in country Victoria, playing for Red Cliffs, before moving to SA after being offered a scholarship at St Peters College. He models his game on another left-footer, star Greater Western Sydney midfielder Josh Kelly.
Bamford says: “Twelve months ago everyone thought Dylan was just a winger but I’ve seen some qualities from him that suggest he can play inside as well. I played him as an inside midfielder in a trial against Glenelg reserves last week and he had 33 possessions and several clearances. He doesn’t fumble, he’s composed, makes good decisions and distributes the ball really well by hand and foot. You don’t see his possessions end up in a turnover very often, which is a great quality to have at AFL level.’’
CAMERON TAHENY
Norwood
Medium forward
17, 185cm, 80kg
Exciting forward with an elite left-foot kick can turn a game with a moment of magic. Has played three league games for Norwood this season, booting 11 goals, including a career-high five against West Adelaide at The Parade last Friday night. Has speed, a good leap and is a deadly-accurate kick. Missed much of the pre-season with a back injury but is starting to hit top form and doesn’t need a lot of possessions to make a big impact.
Bamford says: “Cam would be the first to say he didn’t have the best start to the year because of an injury-interrupted pre-season but he’s played some good league football in the past few weeks. Will play wing and forward for us, although he played at half-back at under-16 State level. His best chance of being drafted is as a floating forward type who can get up the ground and play on the wing as well. He’s a bit like Sydney’s Will Hayward. When Cam can get separation from his opponent he’s extremely dangerous in the front half because he’s good in the air and has made a concerted effort in the past six months to improve his ground level skills.’’
WILL DAY
West Adelaide
Medium defender
18 on June 5, 187cm, 70kg
The grandson of South Australian Football and West Adelaide Hall of Famer and 1971 Hawthorn premiership player Robert Day and cousin of Gold Coast’s Sam Day, Will is coming with a draft bullet, He was arguably the SA under-18 team’s best player in a trial against Glenelg’s reserves and is a good decision maker who uses the ball extremely well. A nice size at 187cm, he is your modern-day half-back flanker because of his ability to win the footy and distribute it so well.
Bamford says: “The thing about Will is there’s not a lot of data on him because — with his college commitments — he’s probably only played 10 SANFL games, so there’s a lot of unknown there. But when you look at his characteristics and football fundamentals you can see why everyone is so excited about him and that there’s so much interest from AFL clubs. His body shape at the moment also suggests that he’s going to fill out a bit later than most others, maybe when he’s 21 or 22. He has great composure, an ability to see things the average player doesn’t and averages about 82 per cent efficiency in 30-possession games, which is rare.’’
JACKSON MEAD
Woodville-West Torrens
Midfielder
17, 184cm, 83kg
The son of triple Port Adelaide SANFL premiership player and inaugural Power club champion Darren Mead, Jackson is eligible to be drafted by the Power as a father-son selection this year. He was best-afield in last year’s SANFL under-18s grand final for the Eagles, kicking four goals from 21 disposals, and represented the Australian under-18s against VFL team Casey Demons in April. Like his dad, he has a super-serious, professional attitude to his football and is tough, determined and disciplined. Is likely to become the Power’s first father-son pick since Magarey Medallist Brett Ebert in 2002. Port also has access to another father-son prospect this year — Trent Burgoyne, the son of premiership player Peter Burgoyne.
Bamford says: “Jackson’s a very good player and I’m sure Port will bid for him. He’s a midfielder who has really good ability to go forward, mark and convert in front of goal. I’d say he’s as good a forward as he is a midfielder. He wins first possession, has a big, strong body inside and understands the game really well. He’s strong in the contest, has safe hands, tackles hard and is just a really solid player. He won’t get as much publicity as some of the other midfielders in the draft but he’s a proud person and will be out to show, particularly when he plays against them, that he’s just as good, if not better.’’
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