Jackson Hately hoping to seize spot in GWS Giants’ midfield after Tim Taranto blow
Boom youngster Jackson Hately is determined to capitalise on the vacancy in GWS Giants’ midfield left by a serious injury to the club’s reigning best-and-fairest winner.
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Jackson Hately isn’t one to blow his own trumpet.
Actually, forget that. He is.
He also knows about hitting the right note when under pressure.
Playing the Last Post in front of the whole school was one of the toughest challenges the young Giants midfielder faced before swapping the classroom for an AFL education.
“It was one of the scariest things I’ve done but I’m so glad I did it,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
Fast-forward a couple of years and it’s his football being finetuned rather than his musical skills.
The 19-year-old is pushing hard for a spot in the Giants midfield for Round 1 against Geelong with a vacancy having opened up.
Tim Taranto’s shoulder injury will see him sidelined for four or five months and Hately, along with the likes of draftee Tom Green, has impressed in the Giants’ Marsh Series games.
He finished with 29 disposals, one goal and five clearances in Sunday’s win over Richmond in Wagga Wagga.
“With Tim (Taranto) going down (in the first Marsh Series game against the Swans), such an important player, we all had to step up a little bit and I think we did that pretty well in those two games,” Hately said.
“I was just keen to get out there and test myself. I was happy with it and I’m just looking forward to keep building.
“I want to cement my spot in the team and help us win games of footy.”
Hately believes he is mentally and physically ready for the challenge.
“The biggest one (improvement) for me has been my bodywork at stoppages,” he said. “Coming into the system you come up against big, strong guys. I’ve been doing a lot of work in the weight room. In the off season I saw some specialist bodywork coaches which really helped me. Last year it was an area I need to improve. I’ve come back and now when I do come up against the Cotchins and the Martins I feel comfortable. I know I’ve done the work.”
Earning his spot is step one, but Hately is also a big believer in leadership and developing the art.
Having been a school captain back in Adelaide, it’s a quality he values highly.
He never wastes an opportunity to listen and learn, whether from the club’s experienced players or leadership consultant Cooper Cronk.
“For me, leadership (at school and football) is about leading through your actions,” he said.
“From my experience the good teams always have great leaders. It’s definitely something I aspire to become and get better at.
“It’s why I admire people like Cogs (Stephen Coniglio), Phil Davis, Cal (Ward) and Cooper. They talk when they need to talk but as I said, it’s their actions.”
But while he would love to lead the Giants one day, for now it’s waiting to hear if he’ll make the cut for round one.
“It would be amazing,” he said. “But whether it happens or not I know that I’m getting better. If my name gets read out I’ll be ready to go.”
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