Shattered Sturt teenager Hugo Munn vows to try to reignite his AFL dream
Shattered Sturt powerhouse Hugo Munn has vowed not to give up on his AFL dream — despite being overlooked at last week’s drafts.
Sturt powerhouse Hugo Munn has vowed not to give up on his AFL dream — despite being overlooked at last week’s drafts.
While Munn’s five South Australian AFL Academy squad teammates were selected inside the first 32 picks at the national draft — and four went in the top 14 — Munn could not even find a spot on a rookie list.
The high-leaping, strong-marking key forward, who played 10 league games for the Double Blues this year and was a key member of SA’s AFL under-18 championship-winning team, said he was initially devastated at failing to find an AFL home.
But he said he is now determined to prove his doubters wrong.
“Obviously it was very disappointing but I’m not giving up on the dream, definitely not,’’ Munn told The Advertiser after having the weekend to digest the news.
“I'm going to go back to Sturt and have another crack at it next year.
“I’ll work hard and try to improve my game to hopefully put myself in a position where I do get a chance to get drafted.
“In some ways that is an opportunity that excites me,’’
Munn, 18 and powerfully built at 199cm and 97kg, had widely been considered as one of the better key forward prospects in this year’s draft pool.
Four of his five hometown AFL Academy squad teammates were selected in the first round, with Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine going to Gold Coast at picks two and three, Connor Rozee to Port Adelaide at five and Jackson Hately to GWS at 14.
The other member of the squad, SA under-18 captain Luke Valente, was taken by Fremantle at No. 32.
Munn, who was one of only 13 Croweaters invited to the AFL Draft Combine, said he had yet to be told why no club would take a punt on him.
He said he will sit down with his manager Michael Doughty early this week for some feedback.
Munn told The Advertiser earlier this year that if he didn’t get drafted he would consider a career in the Defence Force but those plans are on hold as he tries to work his way into the AFL system.
SANFL talent manager Brenton Phillips said he was stunned that Munn wasn’t drafted, along with other under-18 championship winning players Tom Lewis (Sturt), Hayden Sampson (South Adelaide) and Jacob Collins (Norwood).
“I was very surprised that all four of them weren’t drafted,’’ he said.
“Obviously SA had 25 of the 100-or-so players kicked from the SANFL, which was a terrific result for our league, but whenever the draft comes around there are always hardluck stories.
“Hugo, Tom, Hayden and Jacob are in that bracket now because they all have some very good AFL traits and can consider themselves very unlucky to have missed selection.’’
But Phillips is adamant if the quartet shows resilience their AFL chance will come.
“There’s plenty of history that says while you might not make it as an 18-year-old, if you put your nose to the grindstone, train hard and play well then opportunities will present themself.
“You only have to look at this year’s draft that indicates if you play well in the SANFL you are still a big chance, with (mature-age players) Callum Wilkie, Chris Burgess, Keegan Brooksby, Nathan Kreuger, Darcy Fort, Shane McAdam, Robbie Young and Jordon Sweet all getting drafted.
“You’ve just got to show some resilience and hang in there.’’
Originally published as Shattered Sturt teenager Hugo Munn vows to try to reignite his AFL dream