NAB League 2019: Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson shape as top two picks in AFL draft

Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson started as opponents in the Yarra Junior Football League but are now best mates and could be taken as the top two picks in this year’s AFL draft.

Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell celebrate their under-15 YJFL premiership at Boroondara Hawks. Picture: Supplied

Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson are best mates.

They played junior football with and against each other, won a basketball club championship together, live only a few minutes apart in the inner eastern suburbs and are always together at Carey Grammar.

And the star midfield pair could be the first two names called out in this year’s AFL draft.

The two first emerged in the Yarra Junior Football League. Rowell was a gun at Canterbury Cobras and Anderson was a star at Hawthorn Citizens.

Matt Rowell shows his burst for Vic Metro. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

In racing parlance, Rowell was Winx and Anderson was Happy Clapper.

YJFL records show Anderson filled the minor placings in four seasons when Rowell won five consecutive league best and fairests between 2011 and 2015.

“I still remind him about that every now and then,” Rowell joked.

Anderson said “only if stuff gets competitive” would Rowell start “whipping out a few little comments”.

“He was definitely the benchmark; the best player in the league,” Anderson said.

“I was in a very good team so I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it. Rowelly got most of the individual success, whereas I probably landed more with the better team and team success.”

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The pair first met in the under-10s and went on to represent the state in underage teams.

Both are hard-running, ball-winning midfielders.

Asked for his first memories of Rowell, Anderson recalled “a quick red head from Canterbury”.

“That’s all I thought about him and that’s what the team thought — just this quick little fella,” he said.

Rowell said Anderson’s Citizens were the “powerhouse club”.

“It would be a long day when we played against them … but it was nice playing against him at a young age and now we’ve been really good mates,” he said.

The two played alongside each other at Boroondara Hawks when they reached under-15s.

Noah Anderson lines up for goal for Oakleigh Chargers. Picture: Scott Barbour/AFL Photos

Anderson’s father — two-time premiership Hawthorn player Dean — was the coach and they won the premiership.

“I reckon I played 10, 15 minutes because I was coming back from a broken foot and could barely move but I managed to sneak on and kick a goal,” Anderson said.

Rowell and Anderson also won a national basketball title together with Hawthorn Magic.

This year they will play together for four different sides — Oakleigh Chargers, Vic Metro, the under-18 Australian side and Carey Grammar.

Anderson said Rowell’s attributes were “competitiveness, eager to improve, leadership and self-discipline”.

“As a teammate, you can always rely on ‘Rowelly’ to step up in big games,” he said.

“He rarely goes missing and that is just his effort. He just wills himself always to be in the contest and that proves in big games.”

Rowell said Anderson’s versatility made him a weapon.

Matt Rowell starred for the AFL Academy in its clash against Casey Demons in April. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos/Getty Images

“He’s got a really good balance of inside and outside footy. He can go and win the ball himself but then he has really good skills to be able to deliver the footy inside 50,” Rowell said.

“Whenever he’s got the ball in his hands, I feel really comfortable. He’s just one of those really reliable players.”

No matter where their AFL careers take them, the two will remain best mates.

“I’ll look back on this time of our junior careers and look back really fondly on it,” Rowell said.

“It’s been great to share it with someone like Noah, coming from playing against each other and playing in the same teams and really enjoying spending time together.

“I’m sure if we both got drafted to different teams, we’d still catch up.”

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