It was reminiscent of Uncle Byron but SA Under-18 coach Tony Bamford had a chat with ‘Kozzie’ Pickett after bone-crunching shepherd
Seen the video of Eagles excitement machine Kysaiah Pickett’s big hit in the SANFL Under-18s? Well there’s more to the story.
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There’s more to that video of Kysaiah Pickett.
In the 2018 SANFL under-18 grand final – if you haven’t seen it, check it out below – the Eagles excitement machine is seen launching himself into a South Adelaide opponent in order to create space for a teammate running into goal.
It was reminiscent of Pickett’s uncle Byron, who made his name as a game-changing, bone-crunching midfielder with the Kangaroos and the Power.
He's the nephew of Byron Pickett, terrorises defenders and takes huge speccies.
— AFL (@AFL) November 13, 2019
Meet 2019 NAB AFL Draft bolter Kysaiah Pickett: https://t.co/tk4rSsg73y pic.twitter.com/ESpJoRsSvb
But, while he had no problem with the intention, SA under-18 coach Tony Bamford knew the style couldn’t become a regular thing.
Admittedly, it was an unusual shepherd,” a laughing Bamford said on The Lowdown AFL Draft podcast.
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“We actually had to speak to Kozzie about that shepherd because we don’t want him to make that a habit because he’ll hurt himself or someone else.
“It was like a linebacker in the NFL.
“But the intent is what I love.
“One minute he’s sitting on someone’s head taking a hanger, the next minute he’s taking a crumb at full speed at the feet of a key forward and kicking a goal around the corner,” Bamford said of Pickett’s X-Factor which sets him apart from most others in the draft.
“The next time he’s running at full speed to chase and tackle someone.
“The bit I love about Kozzie is he’s got a bit of a nasty streak in him, that he likes to impact physically as well.”
Bamford also believes there’s more to Pickett’s game than many see.
“At the moment everyone sees him as a small forward that’s got some tricks,” Bamford said.
“But what you saw in that edit where he wins a ground ball contest between the arcs, gives it, gets it back, spreads hard and gets to the next contest because he’s got elite speed, that edit you saw is what I can see him doing at AFL level in three or four years’ time.”
The 171cm Pickett looms as South Australia’s bolter after being invited, along with Stephens, to the first night of the draft on November 27.
Melbourne and the Bulldogs are the clubs understood to be considering Pickett with picks inside the top 15.