Adam Cerra’s AFL draft stocks continue to rise after AFL Under-18 National Championships

HIS AFL Draft stocks are only rising but Eastern Ranges midfielder Adam Cerra is unfazed by the attention.

Adam Cerra celebrates a goal for Vic Metro at the AFL Under-18 National Championships. Picture: Getty Images

HIS AFL Draft stocks are only rising but Eastern Ranges midfielder Adam Cerra is unfazed by the attention.

Vic Metro coach Martin Allison reckons Cerra, 18 in October, was stiff to miss Under-18 All Australian selection but that doesn’t bother the midfielder either.

His temperament suits the way his plays – calm, poised and with a splash of class.

Allison said Cerra was “extremely unlucky” to miss All Australian honours.

“I reckon the recruiters at the end of the year, where they put him in the draft, will indicate they think he sits in front of those players that made the All Australian team,” Allison said.

“The accolades, such as All Australian, you don’t want to get hung up on it, but the prize for him will be being drafted at the end of the year and I think he will be pretty high in the draft.”

Cerra, a Norwood Football Club junior, averaged 18 disposals over his four games in the championships, finding a blend between winning contested possessions and using his polished skills when in space.

Adam Cerra works his way through traffic for Eastern Ranges earlier this year. Picture: David Smith

His best game came in Vic Metro’s first outing against Western Australia when he tallied 24 disposals, six tackles, five clearances and a goal.

“I probably didn’t have as consistent a carnival as I would have liked, I thought I started pretty strongly but didn’t hold that consistency,” Cerra said.

“I still thought I did something to help the team get over the line but I probably wasn’t able to get the stats I was able to in the first game.”

After missing most of 2016 with a meniscus injury, Cerra (84kg, 186cm) has added about 8kg of meat to his bones since the start of last season.

The extra weight has helped him work his way through the packs.

Adam Cerra on the burst for Eastern Ranges. Picture: David Smith

“The past couple of years I have probably been more an outside midfielder so I probably struggled more with the contested part of the game,” Cerra said.

“This year they wanted me to turn more into an inside midfielder ... I’ve been working on my ability to win the ball on the inside and that is probably a good thing I have been able to add to my bow this year.

“This year it has been a focus to transition to an inside midfielder so that gives me a bit of both.”

It’s been suggested Cerra could be one of four first-round draft picks, along with Jaidyn Stephenson, Joel Garner and Sam Hayes, to come out of Eastern Ranges this year.

But Cerra pays little attention to the commentary.

“I try not to read too much into the media and the rankings they put out,” he said.

“I think everyone’s rankings are slightly different so I try not to get too worried or think about it too much.

‘‘I try not to put too much pressure on myself.”