Geelong Grammar student Ollie Lord looms as exciting AFL draft prospect
The grandson of a Brownlow medallist has been rated as one of the top tall forwards in this year’s draft pool — and it would continue a trend of Geelong grandfather-grandsons reaching big football.
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Geelong is famous for its father-son connections.
Think Ablett, Hawkins and Scarlett. There’s also nearly enough offspring coming through to fill a senior and reserves team.
But its grandfather-grandson links are also providing top talent.
Exciting prospect Ollie Lord looms as the third grandson from Geelong’s 1963 premiership team to be drafted.
His grandfather Alistair won the 1962 Brownlow Medal in a 122-game career and played in the Cats’ flag the following season.
He would go on to play and coach in the Hampden league, including best-on-ground honours in South Warrnambool’s one-point win in the 1969 decider.
It had been a while since the pair had caught up because of social restrictions.
“He’s grown a bit,” Alistair remarked, as he took a seat at Geelong Grammar, where Ollie is completing his Year 12 studies.
“It’s been about seven months and I think I’ve grown about 2cm and put on three to four kilos,” Ollie replied.
Ollie’s now about 197cm. He would have towered over Polly Farmer in Alistair’s day.
“Polly was only 6’2.5,” Alistair said.
Alistair, 80, was a champion midfielder and Ollie is developing key-forward.
AFL talent ambassador Kevin Sheehan recently rated him among the best tall forwards in this year’s draft pool.
“Athletic tall forward who has shown very good ability overhead using good body positioning to launch at the ball or hold his ground,” Sheehan noted.
“Had an impressive training stint at Melbourne over the pre-season as part of the NAB AFL Academy accelerated development program.”
Melbourne is one of a dozen clubs to have interviewed the Caulfield Bears junior.
There was a lot to like, including his high marking, Alistair said.
“He leads quick, he positions his body well, his kicking — I always told him you’ve got to be able to kick both left and right and handball each side of his body,” he said.
“It’s like all young fellows, he could get the opportunity and he could not.”
Former Sandringham Dragons mentor Josh Bourke recently caught up for a kick with Ollie and said “he’s really becoming quite imposing”.
“He’s got a lot to learn but he’s appetite for it’s really good,” Bourke said.
“That’s a good combination.”
That ‘63 flag Farmer and Alistair played in has had two grandsons reach the highest level.
Josh Walker’s grandfather Peter Walker was centre half-back and Toby Wooller’s grandfather Fred Wooller captained the side.
Josh has played 102 games at three different clubs, including 33 for Geelong, and Toby was delisted last month without playing a match.
“Footy’s always been a real passion for me but it’s not until a couple of years ago it really got a bit more serious,” Ollie said.
He said one of his best mentors was his grandfather.
“The relationship we have, we bond a lot through footy,” he said.
“The trips to junior footy when I was 8, 9, 10, 11 and more recently to school in Year 10, 11, 12, Pa’s certainly been a huge mentor for me.
“He knows a lot more than I do so for him to pass on things after the game, before games, little pointers and tips to tell me what people are looking for — and honest feedback as well.
“It’s not always good, sometimes it’s, ‘You’ve got to do this a lot better’.
“He’s been a real help for me and it’s something I do rely on and extremely lucky and grateful for Pa.”
Alistair will support his grandson wherever his football takes him and hopes he can forge his own identity.
“He’s got a long way to go,” he said.
“There’s a lot of boys out there all over Australia and some very talented children.
“We’ll just have to see, won’t we?”
Originally published as Geelong Grammar student Ollie Lord looms as exciting AFL draft prospect
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