Gun recruit Kieran Lovell set for West Adelaide’s clash with Sturt to be live streamed by The Advertiser today at 2.10pm
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Kieran Lovell has unfinished business.
Delisted by Hawthorn at age 21, the strongly-built midfield ball magnet, who once drew comparisons to Hawks Brownlow Medallist Sam Mitchell, is itching for another crack at the AFL, believing his best football is in front of him.
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“I would love the chance to make amends for how the first stint of my AFL career went because it was disappointing,’’ said Lovell, who has moved from Tasmania to SANFL club West Adelaide this year in a bid to reignite his AFL career.
“I haven’t given up hope of having another crack at it and would love that opportunity because I do feel that I have some unfinished business.’’
Lovell will be among the players to watch when he lines up for the Bloods against Sturt on Saturday, in one of three clashes live streamed on The Advertiser website this weekend.
Both SANFL under-16 semi-finals will also be broadcast on advertiser.com.au on Sunday.
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Lovell, now 23, spent the past two years back home in Tassie, where he played for his junior club Kingborough Tigers.
Drafted by Victorian powerhouse Hawthorn, which was coming off three consecutive premierships, at pick 22 at the 2015 national draft after he won All-Australian honours and was named Tasmania’s MVP at the AFL under-18 championships, Lovell suffered a serious shoulder injury in his second year with the Hawks which derailed his career.
After playing two AFL games in his debut year in 2016 – against GWS and Richmond in rounds six and seven, where he averaged 15 possessions and four clearances – the 175cm Lovell never played another AFL game.
He was eyeing a big 2017 campaign after a strong pre-season when he smothered a ball in a VFL practice match against Essendon and dislocated his left shoulder.
He underwent a shoulder reconstruction and spent 16 weeks on the sidelines.
Lovell returned to the field and quickly rediscovered his form.
He believed he was on the verge of an AFL call-up when he re-injured the shoulder and was ruled out for the rest of the season.
He signed a one-year contract extension with Hawthorn at the end of the year, but spent the entire 2018 campaign with the Hawks’ VFL affiliate Box Hill, playing in a premiership.
“The timing of the shoulder injury was pretty awful, devastating really,’’ he said.
“After getting a taste of AFL in my first season and breaking into a strong line-up I felt I was ready to take my game to the next level.
“I saw my second year as a defining point in my career but unfortunately things didn't go to plan for me.
“Missing that year really held me back and while I played some decent VFL footy the following season and was lucky enough to play in a VFL premiership, I never got another chance at AFL level, which was really disappointing.’’
Lovell returned to Tasmania to rediscover his love for the game and enjoyed two standout seasons with Kingborough.
Higher profile clubs continually knocked on his door and he eventually signed with West, largely through his friendship with former Hawks teammate Dallas Willsmore, who spent two seasons with the Bloods before moving back to Victoria this year.
“As much as I loved playing footy back in Tasmania, I needed to get myself playing at a more elite level to put my name back in front of AFL recruiters,’’ Lovell said,
He has hit the ground running in Adelaide, averaging 30.5 disposals in the opening two rounds, including a 39-disposal, six-clearance performance against the Crows last week.
West’s Unley Oval encounter with Sturt will be live streamed on advertiser.com.au from 2.10pm on Saturday.
It will be followed by the under-16 semi-finals between South Adelaide and North Adelaide (11am) and Sturt and Glenelg (1.15pm) on Sunday.
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