Outgoing Norwood coach Nathan Bassett gives AFL clubs plenty of (Red)legs
NORWOOD is on the brink of having produced a team of AFL players under former coach Nathan Bassett.
NORWOOD is on the brink of having produced a team of AFL players under former coach Nathan Bassett.
If, as expected, teenagers James Aish, Trent Dumont and Orazio Fantasia, and mature-age prospect Matt Fuller are taken in Thursday's National Draft, the Redlegs will have been raided 21 times by AFL clubs since Bassett took the reins in 2010.
As it stands, Norwood has lost 17 players to the AFL over the past three years via either the national (eight) or rookie drafts (seven), or to preselection trades by Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast (two).
Woodville-West Torrens has developed the second-most AFL players among SANFL teams during the same period with 12, ahead of Glenelg and Sturt (both 10).
Dual Redlegs premiership coach Bassett, who joined Essendon as an assistant last month, said Norwood's structure, junior development and the types of players it produced appealed to AFL clubs.
"The structure is not that dissimilar to AFL teams so clubs can see where players fit in," Bassett said.
"Clubs know what they are getting from our players and not just what they do on field, but Norwood has some good, quality citizens that have been drafted as well.
"Our junior development was also very good at keeping the right sort of players in the system so while they might not get drafted as under-18s, guys like Luke Brown, Cameron Shenton, Tom Jonas and Matt Fuller aren't leaving to go elsewhere."
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Norwood has built a reputation for developing AFL-ready mature-age talent in recent years.
Of the 17 players the Redlegs have lost to the elite level over the past three seasons, nine were 21 or older when they were recruited.
Hawthorn's Paul Puopolo has been arguably the biggest success story, having played 63 games and won a premiership since going at pick No. 66 at the 2010 National Draft as a 22 year old.
Luke Brown has become a first-choice half-back for Adelaide, Tom Jonas has shone as a third-tall defender for Port Adelaide, utility Nick Duigan has played 43 games for Carlton and Dean Terlich was third in the best and fairest in his debut season for Melbourne this year.
"Tommy Jonas was a fringe under-18 player in 2009," Bassett said.
"Then he played a league grand final the next year and is now considered quite highly as a leader at Port Adelaide, and is going to play 150-200 games for Port I'd think.
"When guys come from that far back it's great to see them do well."
Norwood goalsneak Simon Phillips was recruited by the Power at the end of 2010 and played nine games for Port before being delisted and resuming at the Redlegs.
He said the club's success had attracted AFL scouts to its players - and potential draftees to The Parade.
"We've won a lot of games and played in three grand finals in four years so recruiters look at where the teams are winning games of footy," Phillips said.
"Bass also does coach players in a way you could be coached at AFL level.
"I have no doubt there would be some players that would look at Norwood, saying they've been successful and had mature-age guys go so maybe I should try my luck there."
Phillips, who has played in Norwood's back-to-back premierships, said he had been a keen observer of his former teammates' AFL success.
"Pauly Puopolo was a battler who never really had amazing skills or wouldn't get votes from umpires but then Bass chucked him in the backline and let him run.
"His journey has been amazing."
Norwood's AFL talent
Forward: Orazio Fantasia (2013 candidate), Cameron Shenton (St Kilda), Simon Phillips (Port Adelaide)
Half-forward: Darren Pfeiffer (Port Adelaide), Sam Rowe (Carlton), Paul Puopolo (Hawthorn)
Centre: James Aish (2013 candidate), Trent Dumont (2013 candidate) Mitch Grigg (Adelaide)
Half-back: Alex Forster (Fremantle), Nick Duigan (Carlton), Matt Fuller (2013 candidate)
Back: Dean Terlich (Melbourne), Tom Jonas (Port Adelaide), Luke Brown (Adelaide)
Ruck: Daniel Gorringe (Gold Coast), Jaryd Cachia (Carlton), Nick Lower (Fremantle)
Bench: Mitchell Wilkins (North Melbourne), Jimmi Savage (GWS), Gavin Roberts (Fremantle)