It’s the AFL or the Army for Sturt AFL Draft prospect Hugo Munn
HUGO Munn hopes he doesn’t need a back-up plan. But ahead of the AFL Draft Combine on Tuesday, the high-leaping Sturt key forward has revealed he is not leaving anything in his future to chance. See who else is making the trip to the combine.
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HUGO Munn hopes he doesn’t need a back-up plan.
“Because my sights are set on playing AFL, I have been dreaming of it ever since I was a kid,’’ the powerful, high-leaping Sturt key forward said.
But if Plan A doesn't come to fruition, which is unlikely given his standout marking ability, Munn is one of those rare AFL-chasing teenagers who does have a good fallback option.
“I’ve always thought that if I didn’t make it into the AFL — and clearly that is what I am striving for and desperately want — then I would try to get into the Army, the Defence Force,’’ he said.
“It’s intrigued me ever since it was brought up in a career pathways session at school.
“I looked into it and if football doesn’t work out for me it might be something that I pursue down the track.’’
Munn, 18 and a physical giant at 199cm and 97kg and still growing — “I’ve grown a couple of centimetres in the past three months,’’ he said — finds similarities between football and the army.
They include discipline, regimented training programs, team work, meeting new people and, in most cases, living away from home.
“I like the routine and discipline, it appeals to me, along with being part of a team environment,’’ Munn said.
“And I have no concern about living away from home, so if I am lucky enough to get drafted then going to play interstate wouldn’t bother me at all.’’
But Munn, who made his league debut for Sturt in round one this year and played 10 senior games, is very clear about his No. 1 focus, which is getting drafted.
“Since I’ve been playing league footy my passion to play AFL has just grown and grown,’’ he said.
“I want it more than ever now.’’
A member of this year’s SA under-18 national championship-winning side, Munn will be one of 13 SANFL players to test at this week’s AFL Draft Combine at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium.
Born in Melbourne to Adelaide-born parents, Munn moved to SA with his family at age 13 and his football blossomed through the Double Blues’ under-age development programs.
He was one of six SANFL players picked in the AFL Academy squad last year and is renowned for his high leap and strong pack-marking which has filled the SANFL highlights reel.
“Marking is a real strength of mine,’’ Munn said.
“I’ve always liked taking a grab but I even surprised myself this year with some of the marks I was able to take at league level.
“I’ve looked back at some of the tapes and thought ‘how did I take that?’’
A Year 12 student at Mercedes College and member of Sturt’s 2017 under-18 premiership team, Munn is modelling his game on a combination of retired St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt and Adelaide captain Taylor Walker.
“I like to crash packs and as I grow into my body more I’m hopeful that I will become more agile and be able to cover the sort of ground that Riewoldt could,’’ he said.
A Carlton supporter because of his parents’ friendship with Blues 1995 premiership player and former football manager Andrew McKay, Munn’s biggest weakness is his kicking, which he admits “needs work’’.
“My set shot goalkicking is okay but I need to improve my around the ground kicking under pressure,’’ he said.
“I want to be a tall player who can kick like a midfielder.’’