Prince Alfred College a chance to have six players drafted this month as Will Gould, Kysaiah Pickett headline its prospects
Prince Alfred College has produced 14 AFL-listed players in the past 10 years. But it is on track to have its biggest haul this year – and possibly more than any SA school has ever had in a season.
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Prince Alfred College looks set to have one of the biggest ever AFL draft hauls of any Adelaide school.
The Dequetteville Tce school has six prospects in line to be taken in a fortnight: Kysaiah Pickett, Harry Schoenberg (Woodville-West Torrens), Will Gould (Glenelg), Karl Finlay (North Adelaide), Cole Gerloff (Norwood) and Kieren Parnell (NT Thunder).
Pickett and Finlay were part of the college’s First XVIII side this past season, Schoenberg and Gould graduated last year, Gerloff skippered Princes’ 2017 team and Parnell played in 2016.
The four 18-year-olds – small forward Pickett, who has been invited to attend the draft’s opening day when the first round is selected, SA under-18 MVP Schoenberg, Glenelg premiership defender Gould and key backman Finlay – are considered near certainties to be chosen after testing at the national combine.
Mature-age midfielder Gerloff, 20, went to the state screening and could be a late pick at the national draft or go as a rookie.
Parnell, 20 and now based in the NT, tested at the Victorian state combine last month and could also be a rookie chance.
Princes have produced 14 AFL-listed players in the past decade – Jack Trengove, Luke Tapscott (2009), Sam Day (2010), Jack Viney (2012), Cameron Giles, George Hewett (2013), Harrison Wigg (2014), Aaron Francis, Riley Bonner, Cam Hewett (2015), Zac Bailey, Mitch Crowden (2017), Tom Sparrow, Kade Chandler (2018) – but no more than three have been taken in a year in that time.
“I think we’re all pretty nervous but we’re taking it as it comes,” Pickett, the nephew of Port Adelaide Norm Smith medallist Byron Pickett, says.
Finlay adds: “It’d be pretty cool for the school if we can all go.”
All six of PAC’s 2019 draft prospects lived on campus – Gould (Lucindale), Schoenberg (Marrabel), Finlay (Quorn) and Gerloff (Darke Peak) hailed from country SA, while Parnell came from Darwin.
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It was in the boarding house that bonds formed.
Gerloff’s closest mates today are from his time living there.
Pickett and Gould have become joined at the hip after Gould helped the former Ocean View College settle in.
“I loved it right from the get-go, going out and playing with boys from the boarding house – it was some of the most fun footy I’ve ever played,” Gould says.
“Kozzy and I almost became like brothers.”
Pickett was the quiet one and Gould developed a reputation for being a prankster, doing things such as spreading flour in friends’ rooms and putting mattresses in the shower last year.
Schoenberg is considered very laid-back and, according to Gould, a bit of a clean freak around the house they now share at Torrensville.
“He’s a bit cheeky but we both love having a laugh,” says Schoenberg, who has known Gould since they were about 12.
Finlay describes himself as the academic one.
“I’m pretty driven, I don’t drink very much or party very often, I’m pretty boring but I’m trying to make the most of my opportunities,” he says.
Finlay this year captained PAC to success in the Messenger Shield and state knockout competitions, beating Henley High in the grand final of the latter.
Henley also regularly produces draftees and has six prospects this year: Jackson Mead, Josh Morris, Luke Beecken, Trent Burgoyne, Lachlan Hoile, Lachlan McNeil, Zane Williams (all Woodville-West Torrens) and Callum Park (Glenelg)
Mead is a certainty to land on an AFL list, Morris and Park are strong chances but the other four are more speculative.
The public school’s biggest recent haul came in 2010 when Jared Polec, Brodie Smith, Scott Lycett and Brad Helbig were all drafted from there.
Henley and PAC have become big rivals and faced off in the past three state knockout grand finals – Princes winning in 2017 and this past season, and Henley last year.
Gerloff kicked the goal that put Prince Alfred ahead with about a minute remaining in the 2017 decider.
“He took a mark about 45 metres out and kicked a set shot that put us in front,” Schoenberg says.
“It’s something I’ll always remember and I think the whole school will as well because it was a pretty special moment.”
Gould regards the finish to that game as “one of the most unbelievable things ever”.
He has continued to support PAC from the sidelines this year when games do not clash with his Glenelg or state under-18 commitments, even heading to Princes’ changerooms after the state knockout decider.
“It brought back so many memories of my time at PAC,” he says.
Messages will fly between the boys during the draft if their names are called.
Pickett will be in Melbourne for the TV broadcast, Gould and Schoenberg are likely to watch it together at their place, and Finlay will tune in with family in Quorn.
But Gerloff is unsure if he will follow the picks.
“I don’t have Foxtel in my house … so if my phone starts to ring, I know it’s a good thing,” Gerloff says.
No matter where they end up, the hopefuls all say they will remember their school footy days fondly.
“It’s more fun (than SANFL) because you’re with all your mates all the time at school … then you go out and play,” says Finlay, who has played one league game for North Adelaide.
“There’s always going to be that connection with PAC for us – that’s never going to go away.”
PAC coach Marty McKinnon on:
Kysaiah Pickett: “He’s blessed with dynamic speed and a fantastic leap. He possesses the ability to do the unusual. He will mature as a player and that’s where the growth will come. He has the capacity to be a really exceptional talent.”
Harry Schoenberg: “I certainly thought with his kicking and running power he had the capacity to be a very good player. But it still takes the will and effort to turn that in to something tangible and to his credit he coped with some disappointment, continued to believe in his game and worked at it.”
Will Gould: “He’s blessed with great physical assets, competitiveness and I think his speed is underrated. He’s got himself really fit so he’s got the capacity to understand how he can improve his physical make-up and get the best out of himself.”
Karl Finlay: “He’s been handle pressure as well as anyone I’ve seen in my time here as coach. He’s a hard worker. His composure, work ethic and respect of the players around him made him the guy chosen by his peers (as captain).”
Cole Gerloff: “He was our captain and held in high regard within the group. His ability to win the ball is enormous … and he’s a good distributor. He’s built confidence against senior footballers at Norwood.”