Geelong draftee Lenny Hofmann on unusual draft experience and overlooked academy graduate

Academy prospect Lenny Hofmann was overlooked by the Saints, but still got his chance at Geelong. However, a fellow Saints NGA product wasn’t so lucky.

Geelong draftee Lenny Hofmann is hopeful premiership teammate and fellow St Kilda academy product Adrian Cole will eventually get his AFL chance after he was left on the board.

St Kilda nominated key defender Adrian Cole and Hofmann as Next Generation Academy prospects and Elwood Peckett as a father-son ahead of last week’s national and rookie draft without giving any of them a formal commitment.

The Saints opted to overlook all three, deciding not to match Geelong’s bid on Hofmann at pick 66, while Cole and Peckett were left ungrafted.

Cole was the only player of the three invited to the national combine and had been viewed as the top talent of the trio.

St Kilda had the option to pre-list the two ahead of the rookie draft – Cole as a Category B rookie and Peckett as a rookie.

Instead they redrafted veteran Brad Crouch – who retired on Tuesday due to degenerative knee injury – and added 18-year-old Irishman Eamonn Armstrong as a Category B rookie.

Adrian Cole was overlooked by St Kilda. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Hofmann said he was shattered for Cole, who he shared the backline in Vic Metro and Sandringham Dragons’ premierships this year.

“I gave Adrian a text afterwards. As expected he was quite flat and it was really unfortunate with him,” Hofmann said.

“St Kilda, I don’t know what’s going on there (for other opportunities), but hopefully he can get his opportunity in the mid-season or somewhere in the next couple of years or so.”

Hofmann’s own draft night experience was unusual.

The medium defender was there alongside his Brighton Grammar and Dragons teammate Harry Oliver on Wednesday night when he was taken by GWS as raucous celebration ensued.

Hofmann confirmed it was his mate, not him, whacking Oliver with a pillow.

Bro went crazy with the pillow 🤣

Harry Oliver's mates were stoked as he's off to the @GWSGIANTS. pic.twitter.com/xUWMgrpIHM

— AFL (@AFL) November 20, 2024

Hofmann, who lived the first six months of his life in Switzerland, was then anxiously waiting with family and friends on night two.

A bid finally came in from Geelong at the sixth last selection of the national draft.

Excitement rang out at the Hofmann household, but then came more waiting to see if St Kilda would match the bid.

When it came through there was no disappointment that the club he had spent three years with had overlooked him, only excitement that he would be joining the Cats.

Lenny Hofmann is now a Cat. Picture: Mike Dugdale

“I knew Geelong was somewhat interested, and then when the bid popped up it was just amazing,” Hofmann said.

“I had some friends and family over, really excited. And then that five minute wait was quite nerve racking because I was quite excited with Geelong.

“And then at the end of the five or so minutes, it was amazing. Greatest feeling ever.

“Really keen to get down here and get started. I was really keen to get away from home, but Geelong is perfect – it is only an hour and a half so can get back to Melbourne whenever necessary.”

Hofmann is thankful for the time the Saints put into him, namely the guidance of St Kilda and Essendon great Brendon Goddard in the academy.

“Did a couple of training camps with them and then was in there last year for a week,” Hofmann said.

“Learnt a lot and they were quite good, under Brendon Goddard who taught me a lot over the last year.”

Originally published as Geelong draftee Lenny Hofmann on unusual draft experience and overlooked academy graduate