Ben Jarman set to join Adelaide Crows as first father-son selection
BARRING a stunning twist, Ben Jarman will today become the Crows’ first father-son selection in their 26-year history.
BARRING a stunning twist, Ben Jarman will today become the Crows’ first father-son selection in their 26-year history.
After being surprisingly overlooked by all 18 clubs at the AFL national draft, Adelaide is poised to secure the classy small forward/midfielder at a bargain-basement price as a rookie, continuing the famous Jarman tradition at the club.
The Crows have told Jarman and his dad Darren, a hero of its back-to-back premierships in 1997-98, that they will nominate Ben as a pre-selected rookie if he is not picked in the pre-season draft, which is highly unlikely.
The drafts will be held at 3.30pm today with players’ names to be lodged electronically.
“We’re keen to get Ben on board,’’ Adelaide list manager Justin Reid told The Advertiser.
“As long as Ben gets through the pre-season draft — and these days it’s rare that’s someone is taken in the pre-season draft — we have guaranteed Ben a rookie spot,.
“He’s a talented player and all things being equal he will be down at the club on Tuesday morning ready to go.
“Then the ball will be in his court and if he works hard enough, like every player that is drafted, he will give himself a chance to be a good player.’’
Adelaide will have first call on 18-year-old Jarman because it originally nominated him as a father-son selection.
Hawthorn, the other club that Jarman is father-son eligible, missed its chance by not lodging the paperwork.
The knock on Jarman is his small, 175cm, 70kg stature and lack of pace.
But he ticks a lot of boxes.
He is an elite ball user — a Jarman trait — and a smart footballer.
Dad Darren is an Australian Football Hall of Famer who kicked a total of 11 goals in Adelaide’s 1997 and 1998 grand final wins against St Kilda and North Melbourne, while uncle Andrew is a dual Magarey Medallist and inaugural Crow.
Recruiting Ben would be a nice touch of romance for Adelaide in a decision where the club did not let emotion get in the way of picking the best talent.
Prior to overlooking Jarman in the national draft, highly-respected recruiting manager Hamish Ogilvie said the Crows had to make “tough’’ recruiting decisions.
They viewed Jarman as a project player.
“We understand the emotion and the supporters’ view with Ben, being the first father-son (possibility), but we just can’t make decisions based on emotion,’’ Ogilvie said.
“We have to weigh up all the information and it’s unfortunate (for Jarman) because we don’t want to put anyone through that (waiting game) but you’ve got to make hard decisions and sometimes they are not always the popular ones.’’
While the Crows are poised to select Jarman as a pre-selected rookie, Geelong is set to recruit Sam Simpson, the son of 114-game Cat Sean, under the same rule.
Port Adelaide can secure Ugandan-born South Adelaide midfielder Emmanuel Irra, who is one of its Next Generation Academy players, as a Category B rookie today if he slips through the pre-season and rookie drafts.
andrew.capel@news.com.au
