SA draft combine intel: Latrelle Pickett shoots into contention
Mature-age draft prospect Latrelle Pickett doesn’t need to look far for football inspiration. And the Glenelg star’s rapid rise up draft boards shows that development isn’t always linear.
Latrelle Pickett’s famous family is inspiring his AFL dreams.
The Glenelg mature-age draft prospect’s cousins include Melbourne premiership star Kysaiah Pickett and Port Adelaide Norm Smith Medallist Byron Pickett.
Kysaiah is five years older but he is close with Latrelle, who describes him as like a big brother.
READ: THE 100 BEST PROSPECTS IN THIS YEAR’S DRAFT
Some epic stuff from Latrelle Pickett 👌 pic.twitter.com/q5pNVoqqYw
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“It’s pretty surreal to watch him,” Latrelle, 19, said.
“I’m inspired by him.
“We text a lot, ring a lot and when he played that last game (in July) against the Crows, I stayed at his hotel and went to the game with him and met a couple of the boys.
“Byron was one of the greats.”
Latrelle shot into national draft contention after kicking four goals in his league debut for the Tigers against Central District in August.
The speedy forward was among 12 South Australians (seven boys, five girls) chosen to test in front of AFL recruiters at the state combine on Saturday.
Thirteen boys attended the national testing for prospects with more club invitations in Melbourne last weekend.
Originally from Port Lincoln, Latrelle played under-18s at Norwood, only to return home.
Glenelg lured him back to Adelaide after he impressed in a Nunga carnival.
He featured in three league games for the Tigers this past season, including two finals.
Kysaiah’s advice to Latrelle has been “keep at it and hopefully you’ll make it to the big stage one day”.
The thought of lining up alongside or against the Demons livewire is “pretty crazy”.
“Playing AFL has been a dream since I was three or four years old,” said Latrelle, a Melbourne fan because of his cousin.
AFL national academy manager Tarkyn Lockyer said Latrelle’s rise was a testament that development was never linear.
“Hopefully what he’s been able to show today is he’s really powerful, really athletic, which I’m sure clubs will find attractive,” Lockyer said.
IN OTHER COMBINE NEWS:
■ Woodville-West Torrens midfielder/half-back Jack Cook – the son of ex-Crow turned Adelaide physiotherapist Tim Cook – said he had spoken to a couple of clubs in the lead-up to the combine and was happy to be drafted anywhere.
“I wouldn’t care really, but the Crows would be pretty cool,” Cook said.
“If I got picked up by anyone, it’d mean the world.”
Cook was vice-captain of South Australia’s under-18 side this year and played seven league games for the Eagles.
He also received the McCallum Tomkins Medal as best and fairest of the SANFL under-18 competition.
■ Sturt’s Sophie Thredgold revealed her mentor was Crows co-captain Ebony Marinoff, who previously coached her.
Thredgold said it would be a dream to play alongside the seven-time All-Australian.
The 18-year-old is the daughter of renowned local jeweller James Thredgold.
“Dad’s said ‘go off, chase your dreams, play AFLW, go to uni’ but it (the family business) would obviously be a nice back-up option,” she said.
The boys’ national draft will be held over two nights next month.
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Originally published as SA draft combine intel: Latrelle Pickett shoots into contention
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