AFL mid-season draft: North Ringwood product Aiden Begg selected by Collingwood

A former Eastern league junior has been likened to a current rising AFL name after his selection at the mid-season draft.

Aiden Begg pictured during his junior days. The North Ringwood product has found a home at Collingwood. Picture: Supplied

Hard work has been a constant for North Ringwood product and AFL draftee, Aiden Begg.

Selected with pick 18 at the AFL mid-season draft by Collingwood, the 197cm, 87kg ruck/forward played more than 100 games in the North Ringwood junior ranks before spending the past two seasons at the Eastern Ranges.

He also featured for the Eastern league at junior representative level, and finished runner-up for an under-17 comp best and fairest in 2018.

Former Eastern Ranges talent manager Sean Toohey oversaw Begg as a bottom-ager with the NAB League outfit, where the young tall exhibited an unrelenting drive to improve.

Begg’s vertical leap is one of his strongest assets, according to Toohey. Picture: Supplied

“I’m just rapt for Aiden, it’s good reward for hard work,” Toohey said.

“It’s (his selection) not entirely surprising given his athletic profile, and his attitude.

“He’s had to really develop that work ethic and learn what’s required at the elite level, even at NAB League, and that’s definitely something that (former Ranges’ coach Darren Bewick) and I had a focus on with him and would speak to him constantly about.

“Obviously since I’ve departed Eastern Ranges, that’s continued to grow under (coach) Travis Cloke and (talent manager) Danny Ryan.

“To his credit, he would take feedback really well and look to improve and engage with us on how he can continue to improve … he’s just a really good person and keen to learn.”

Aiden Begg on the go for the Eastern Ranges. Picture: Valeriu Campan

North Ringwood junior president Chris Leahy saw first-hand the influence Begg had at Quambee Reserve after playing the entirety of his juniors at the Saints.

His father served as the team manager for eight years, and Leahy added Begg’s selection meant the world to the Eastern league club.

“He’s (Aiden) always been a great asset around our club,” Leahy said.

“Being a fairly large presence, a lot of players were drawn to him and they encouraged and drove each other … it was around the team atmosphere that he certainly made a massive contribution to.

“Chatting with Aiden last night, one of the things he mentioned was just the other boys at Ranges and playing interleague, that there is that opportunity (to make an AFL list) and it is possible and one of the locals can do it.

“Just that community culture is so important, and it shows the formula works when you’ve got people involved like that.”

Begg pulls in a towering grab. Picture: Supplied

And the 18-year-old brings a wealth of versatility to the Magpies’ list.

“He’s very athletic and has an excellent leap on him and can cover the ground quite well,” Toohey said.

“He’s probably just undersized to be a first ruckman but I envisage him playing a forward/back-up ruck role, long-term.

“His ruck craft is actually quite good – but having said that, at times as a bottom-ager, Darren Bewick put him on a wing as well to maximise his leg-speed and mobility up the ground to give us a point of difference.”

While he’s still “raw”, Toohey believes Begg’s long-term potential to be a big win for Collingwood, likening the Saints junior to young Essendon utility Nik Cox, with strength at ground-level and in the air.

“It’s a look to the future for them (Collingwood), so well done to them,” Toohey said.

“He’s still a project player, and he’s got so much upside and so much development left in him.

“But on raw ability and athletic ability as well, I think he’s got that in him.

“If you think about the impact Nik Cox is having at Essendon – Aiden’s a way off where he’s at, obviously – but Aiden has that potential to play that sort of role.”