Rapid rise could carry Panthers ruckman Sam Draper all the way to the AFL
SAM Draper has the look of a rising ruck star — but has only been playing Aussie rules for eight months. Now he finds himself in the frame for an AFL call-up, says Matt Turner.
SAM Draper may look like a ruckman but he has only been playing Aussie rules for eight months.
The 203cm, 105kg big man was a soccer centre-back until last year, lining up for South Adelaide in the Premier League reserves and under-18s.
But Draper switched codes over summer and played three trial games with Reynella Wineflies in February.
South Adelaide asked him to join its SANFL ranks two months later.
The Reynella East College student capped his rapid rise by testing for AFL clubs at the state screening at Wayville last Saturday.
“All my friends at school play footy and I’ve always wanted to play,” Draper, of Old Reynella, said. “I kind of knew how to kick and watched a few games, played at lunchtime and played a couple of knockout school games.
“It was a bit hard at first because I knew the basis of what I was doing right ... but I didn’t know where to go around the ground when I was rucking or where to lead to up forward.
“I started off a bit shaky but the second half of the season, it all just started clicking.”
Draper was born in SA but spent six years of his childhood living in Brede, an English village of about 1700 people, in East Sussex, near Hastings.
He started playing soccer there for Westfield, originally as a goalkeeper.
“I played soccer all my life until this year,” he said.
“But as I got older I realised I was not the right sort of size for soccer.”
Draper is the second-tallest player at the Panthers, behind Peter Steffe (206cm).
In 2014, Draper grew about 12cm.
“I’ve always been pretty tall and one of the tallest in my class at school.”
Draper has spoken to a few AFL clubs ahead of the November 25 national draft.
The right-footer credits his older brother Glenn, who plays football for Reynella, and South under-18 coach Tony Bamford for helping him progress so quickly.
“It’s all been pretty crazy,” he said.
“If you told me last year I’d be doing all this, I wouldn’t believe you.
“(Getting drafted) would be the best thing ever.
“It’d be unreal.”