Gold Coast Suns recruit is leading the charge to fill void left by key forward Tom Lynch
Is this a back-handed dig at Tom Lynch? Or just high praise for the man Suns teammate reckon can replace the departed hero?
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GOLD Coast coaching officials are yet to decide who will be the man to fill the void left by Tom Lynch but forward Wil Powell says it’s one of their state league recruits who is leading the race for one of the key forward positions on offer.
Powell, 19, said energetic forward Josh Corbett was the early frontrunner to partner Peter Wright in front of goals following impressive performances in Gold Coast's first match simulation sessions over the past week.
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It made Powell confident Gold Coast would lose none of its quality in the forward line.
“The morale in the forward line at the moment is awesome with big Pete working as a massive target and Josh Corbett has been blowing everyone away at training,” Powell said.
“He has been doing awesome in match simulations. I would say (he is the frontrunner). He and Pete are the two keys with the forward line around them.”
Powell said the 190cm tall Corbett had stood out with his strength in the contest and fitness.
“He is super fit and has great running power,” Powell said.
“He is not overly tall but he is big and solid.”
Corbett, who spent 2018 playing for Werribee in the VFL, was one of three Special Assistance selections Gold Coast were given access to by the AFL at the end of last year.
The 22-year-old thought his career was over after going blind in his left eye for a month in 2018 when hit with a stray finger in a marking contest.
Corbett was stacking bags of fertiliser for 40 hours a week for work before joining an AFL list.
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Meanwhile, Powell faces his own selection battle as one of numerous small forwards the Suns have at their disposal.
“It’s going to be a nice little fight for a Round 1 position with the amount of small forwards running around which is exciting,” Powell said.
“It makes it nice and competitive at training.”
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