South Adelaide’s Nathan Kreuger joins Geelong in historic move
SOUTH Adelaide’s Nathan Kreuger will no longer be attending the SA Draft Combine on Saturday after being thrown a shock AFL lifeline by Geelong.
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NATHAN Kreuger will no longer be attending the SA Draft Combine on Saturday.
“Because I’m already an AFL-listed player,’’ the South Adelaide excitement machine said.
“I’d been preparing to put my best foot forward at the combine but now it won’t matter, which is amazing.’’
A year after being “shattered’’ at missing out on being drafted, Kreuger, 19, on Monday became the first player to be selected under the AFL’s new pre-draft compensation picks.
He was picked by Carlton, which has access to two mature-age state league players, and promptly traded to Geelong for pick 42 at this year’s national draft.
The deal came just a day after Kreuger — an athletic beast at 197cm and 89kg — was flown to Geelong to tour its facilities.
“I’m over the moon,’’ Kreuger told The Advertiser.
“It’s happened so quickly that I still don’t believe it and really am in shock.
“But it’s a great result, the best moment of my life, especially after what happened last year.’’
Kreuger — a tall forward with a good leap and the athleticism to get up and down the ground — said the Cats were his keenest suitors last year and followed his progress closely during 2018, where he enjoyed a strong season with the Panthers.
“I’m just happy the hard work has paid off,’’ Kreuger said.
“After last year I could have gone one of two ways — throw my arse in the corner and have a sook or do something about it and have a good year.
“Fortunately, with the help of South which has been great to me, I had a good year and now I’m off to the Cats, which is great.
“Having visited the club’s facilities on Sunday I already feel right at home there.’’
Kreuger, who was born in Darwin before moving to the SA Fleurieu Pensinsula town of Victor Harbor with his family seven years ago, made his league debut for the Panthers in round six this year before establishing himself at league level.
He kicked 22 goals in 13 games.
SANFL talent manager Brenton Phillips said Kreuger is so athletic that “you’d draft him every day of the week’’.
“He’s a bit of a freak physically and his upside is enormous,’’ Phillips said.
Kreuger, who prefers to play in attack but can also be used in defence, had been working at Telstra before his shock, early AFL call-up.
Now he is preparing to move to Melbourne on November 6 to start pre-season training with the Cats.
Geelong traded pick 42 to Carlton for Kreuger after gaining it and selection 60 from Brisbane in a deal for Lincoln McCarthy and picks 54 and 57.
The Cats are the first club to trade for the pre-draft picks given to both the Blues and Gold Coast by the AFL to help make them become more competitive.
“We have jumped the queue for getting Nathan on our list before the draft but he is player we have been following for a few years now,’’ Geelong list manager Stephen Wells said.
“He was unlucky not to be given some sort of opportunity at an AFL club last year but we think he is now ready to put his best foot forward.”
andrew.capel@news.com.au