The curious case of top SA draft hope Jack Delean’s cramping issues

It’s been a “frustrating’’ year for South Adelaide excitement machine Jack Delean, who has battled a medical issue and one ongoing criticism. He opens up on his draft chances.

“One day I’ll stop cramping’’.

With that Instagram post, South Adelaide excitement machine Jack Delean summed up his “frustrating’’ draft year that produced a stunning highlights reel but often left him in excruciating pain and struggling to run out games.

“It was a challenging year,’’ the 18-year-old SANFL small-medium forward, who is one of the most creative and damaging players in this year’s AFL draft pool, revealed.

“I had a lot of cramping problems, which sometimes stopped me from playing the footy I would have liked to have played, and we still haven’t figured out why they are occurring, which has been frustrating.’’

On the surface, Delean – a 182cm Jack-in-the-box type player who can beat opponents in the air and on the ground – enjoyed a standout season, which has him rated as one of SA’s top draft prospects.

Oozing X-factor qualities, he kicked 55 goals in 23 games at all levels he played, including six in three impressive league performances late in the season.

South Adelaide AFL draft prospect Jack Delean. Picture: Matt Loxton

Delean also featured in the AFL Academy, where he was one of the elite squad’s best players in a win against Carlton’s VFL team, and for South Australia’s under-18s at the national championships, before capping off his year by playing in the Panthers’ under-18s premiership side.

It was after the grand final, where South beat Sturt in a thriller by two points, when Delean took to social media to vent his frustration with continual cramping in his calves and hamstrings.

He was hampered badly in the second half of the premiership decider.

“I’ve had some cramping in other years but not as bad as this year,’’ Delean told The Advertiser.

“The cramping only occurred during games, never at training, which was weird, and sometimes it really affected me, so it became challenging and frustrating.’’

Delean has worked closely with South club doctor Michael Thurling to try to get to the bottom of the problem, including having blood tests, but so far there has been no solution.

“I’ve tried a bunch of different things this year, including seeing a nutritionist and eating certain things on game day, such as yoghurt, watermelon and bananas, and drinking hydrolytes just before a game,’’ he said.

“While some of those things might have helped a little bit I’ve still had cramping issues, so we’re still trying to work out exactly why it keeps happening.’’

Jack Delean hits the track at Flinders University. Picture: Matt Loxton

Jack Delean celebrates kicking a goal for South Adelaide against Norwood in the Round 16 league clash at The Parade. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

Most of Delean’s cramps have occurred in the second halves of games, prompting South league teammate Kobe Mutch to suggest that he stand up during halftime breaks rather than sit down to keep the blood flowing through his legs.

But that also had minimal impact.

Delean said the severity of the cramps were often relieved with simple remedies such as a massage or Deep Heat pain relief cream but he stressed that he needed to spend more time on the ground rather than in the dugout having treatment.

He has been upfront about his cramping issues with AFL clubs during the recruiting process and doesn’t believe they will harm his draft standing.

“I don’t think it will have too much impact,’’ Delean said.

“I’ve explained to clubs what’s going on and while they’ve had a few little concerns the feedback’s been that once we work out what’s going wrong it’s probably an easy fix.’’

Basketball legend LeBron James dealt with cramping “a lot” during his high school career, even undergoing a battery of tests at the time, before embarking on one of the greatest basketball careers of all time.

Jack Delean in action for the AFL Academy against Carlton’s VFL side this year. Picture: Michael Klein

Jack Delean flies high for South Australia against the Allies during this year’s AFL under-18 national championships. Picture: Mark Brake/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Delean, a product of the Reynella Football Club, has already made progress on his fitness in the off-season.

After running what he described as a “disappointing’’ 7min05sec 2km time trial at the AFL national draft combine in Melbourne last month, he has shaved eight seconds off his time in private sessions at the Adelaide Uni loop.

“I’ve been pushing myself harder and smashing my running since returning from the combine and I already feel a lot fitter,’’ said Delean, whose talent has never been questioned but whose work ethic has.

“My endurance has definitely improved and I’m hoping people can see that I’m working harder off the field these days, whether that’s doing extra running or gym work.

“I remember when I first got a kick up the arse at under-16 level. I’d dominated in the juniors and coaches told me I had the talent but my work ethic needed to match it.

“Ever since then I’ve improved in that area and having trained with Port Adelaide this year (for a week as part of the AFL Academy program) and with South’s seniors you see the standard you need to get to and you get used to it.’’

Jack Delean (left) with mentor Sam Elliott. Picture: Matt Loxton

Delean has also been working closely – on and off the field – with South under-18 assistant coach and Flinders University associate professor and sport researcher Sam Elliott to improve his all-round game.

Studying a Bachelor of Sport and Active Recreation at Flinders Uni, Delean described Elliott’s mentorship as “massive’’.

The spring-heeled Delean, whose standing vertical leap of 74cm at the combine was ranked in the top 10, has had his style of play compared to GWS star Toby Greene and Western Bulldogs high-flyer Cody Weightman.

“But I don’t try to model my game on anyone, I just try to be myself,’’ he said.

An Adelaide supporter whose favourite Crows players were Eddie Betts and Patrick Dangerfield, Delean’s sports idol is Golden State Warriors NBA star Stephen Curry.

While renowned for his ability to hit the scoreboard and create goalscoring opportunities for teammates – “they are my best traits,’’ Delean acknowledged – he knows that to flourish in the AFL he needs to also be good defensively.

“In the AFL, particularly as a small forward, you have to be able to impact the game offensively and defensively, so that has also been a focus of mine and something I believe I am getting better at,’’ he said.