Boy from the bush Harrison Petty goes from unknown to hot draft property

HARRISON Petty was largely unknown in football circles a year ago, now he is hot property.

In one season Norwood’s Harrison Petty has gone from unknown to hot draft property. Picture: Bianca De Marchi.

HARRISON Petty was largely unknown in football circles a year ago.

Word had filtered through from Norwood that the boy from the bush had talent but he was little more than a blip on the radar of AFL clubs.

“I must admit that I didn’t know too much about him at all,’’ SANFL high performance manager Brenton Phillips said.

“It was only when I saw him play for Norwood’s under-18s early this year that I quickly realised he was a reasonable sort of talent.’’

Some talent all right.

Two weeks before the 2017 AFL national draft, the rangy 195cm key defender is hot property and one of the draft’s biggest bolters.

Seventeen of the 18 clubs have interviewed him, with wooden spooner Brisbane, which holds the first pick, the exception.

“It’s crazy,’’ said Petty, who hails from the small Eyre Peninsula town of Wudinna, which has a population of 500.

“Forget what other people were thinking, at the start of this year I never thought this would happen.

“It’s been an amazing year, a very surprising one and hopefully there is a good ending for me.’’

Harrison Petty in the thick of the action for the SA under-18 side. Picture Roger Wyman

Draft hopeful Harry Petty with sister and Adelaide Thunderbirds young gun Hannah. Picture: Matt Loxton

That is assured.

Petty, who started playing A-grade football for Wudinna United in the Mid-West League at age 14 and moved to Adelaide to attend Rostrevor College last year, has quickly gone from “no-name’’ to a possible top-25 selection.

After impressing for Norwood at under-age level at the start of the season he made Phillips’ SA under-18 side and was so impressive during the national carnival that he was one of three Croweaters named All-Australians, along with West Adelaide’s Izak Rankine and Sturt’s Callum Coleman-Jones.

Petty, who turns 18 on Sunday, was crowned SA’s MVP with Phillips hailing his intercept marking, composure and team ethos.

By the end of the season — after his college commitments were finished — Petty, lightly built at just 82kg, was playing strong reserves football for the Redlegs.

He has been likened to West Coast intercept-marking king Jeremy McGovern and models his game on the dual All-Australian.

“I’ve played as a forward for part of my career but I like defence because my ability to read the play and take those intercept marks is my strength,’’ said Petty, who grew 5cm in his 15th year.

With this year’s draft being short of quality key backmen, Petty’s star is shining even more brightly.

Norwood player and AFL draft hopeful Harrison Petty at Rostrevor College. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Phillips says clubs are excited by his upside.

“He’s improved so quickly since he got into the SANFL system and clubs know that he is a relatively untapped talent, having spent only one season in the elite talent pathway,’’ he said.

“If you look at his arms I don’t think he’s lifted a weight in his life. But he’s super-competitive and can catch the footy.’’

While admitting finding an AFL home would be a dream come true, Petty, whose older sister Hannah plays for the Adelaide Thunderbirds and this year captained the Australian Netball World Youth Cup team, is mindful of the pre-draft hype.

“(Glenelg’s) Jonty Scharenberg was talked up early last year as being the possible No. 1 pick and he didn’t get drafted so you can never really tell what will happen,’’ he said.

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