Missing SA Academy selection the “best thing to happen” to Eagles ball-magnet Harry Schoenberg
Last year, top draft prospect Harry Schoenberg learnt that talent only gets you so far. But he says it is the best thing to happen in his footy career. Will the Crows pounce in the second round?
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Harry Schoenberg, the sheep farmer’s son from Marrabel in the state’s Mid North, like many talented junior footballers, followed the state pathway, representing South Australia from Under-12 level to Under-16s.
But as the Woodville-West Torrens midfielder found out in October last year, when he was left out of the initial SA Academy squad, talent can only take you so far.
“It was a big set back because my whole football career, I’ve probably gone with the flow and pretty much made everything,” Schoenberg told The Lowdown AFL Draft Podcast.
“I sort of just relied on my talent more than my work rate and my effort.”
The size of the Academy Hub is capped at 30 and the group must feature eight bottom-agers, leaving just 22 spots for draft-eligible players.
With a need for balance, Schoenberg was squeezed out.
“At that stage of the season, we knew Harry was a really good stoppage player,” South Australia’s head coach Tony Bamford explained.
“We’d seen that at the Eagles as a bottom-age player, we’d see it through his under 16 year.
“But what we didn’t see in his game, and what we saw in some other midfielders, was the defensive transition work and the ability to carry the ball away and not just get it and flick it out by hand or kick.
“And we didn’t think he was as fit or as a good a runner as some of the other midfielders in that group.”
And, in Bamford’s experience, three things can happen when players get feedback.
“One is – and this is the best result – they take it on board and they go to work and they just get the work done. And that’s where the confidence comes from.
“The second thing that can happen is they can take the feedback on board but not go to work, they can just float.
“The worst thing is they don’t accept the feedback and they find excuses and blame others.
“Harry, to his credit, he went the right direction, took it on board, got to work and then the rest is history”
After missing selection, Schoenberg sat down with manager Michael Doughty to set a number of goals and plot his path back into the state program.
The key was enlisting the help of Warwick Raymond, a mixed martial arts guru, who works at the Crows as tackling coach.
After a summer at Raymond’s gym, not only did the 18-year-old’s running improve and the way he used his body at stoppages change but Schoenberg entered 2019 with a new-found confidence.
“At times, when I was in a state program, I probably wasn’t as confident, I let the others do it and I sort of sat back and just did my thing,” Schoenberg admitted.
“But from going to see Warrick, I was able to gain confidence and believe in myself.”
And it showed.
Schoenberg made his way back into the squad for camp three prior to the under-18 championships, and played all four games for South Australian at the national carnival, winning the side’s MVP award and earning All-Australian selection after averaging 27 disposals per game.
The 182cm midfielder, who has drawn comparison to Saint-turned-Cat Jack Steven, ranked No. 1 for contested possessions, loose-ball gets, hard-ball gets and clearances for the Croweaters, highlighting his influence at the contest.
But it was his ability to breakaway from congestion and then win the ball on the spread which really enhanced Schoenberg’s draft credentials – attributes his state coach likens to another AFL star.
“I see a little bit of (Essendon midfielder) Dylan Shiel in the way harry plays as well,” Bamford said.
“His explosiveness, his ability to take the ball away from congestion with his legs and that’s been one of the biggest parts of his game that has grown in the past 12 months,” Bamford said.
SANFL talent manager Brenton Phillips has also been impressed with the player Schoenberg has become.
“I’ve always rated Harry, I think he’s got elite breakaway speed from the contest and he uses the ball very well,” Phillips explained.
“His ability to work up-and-down the ground is as good as I’ve seen.”
As a result of his rapid rise, Schoenberg has gone from a relatively unknown draft prospect to fielding interested from every AFL club.
“At the start of the year, I didn’t really have much at all but after the carnival, I pretty much had most clubs come and speak with me,” the Hawthorn supporter admitted.
“Just to get to know me I think, I don’t really think anybody knew who I was.”
Schoenberg’s talent, accompanied with the new-found work-ethic, running power and strength, has the ball-magnet in line to be selected in the mid-to-late second-round of the draft with the Crows in the frame at No. 28 and 37.
“Not making that (the Academy hub), I could say, looking back now, was probably the best thing that’s even happened in my footy career.”