AFL Academy product Noah Mraz on the silver lining to his fractured foot

One thought rung the loudest in top draft prospect Noah Mraz’s mind when told he had played on a fractured foot for nine months.

Noah Mraz has “showed his mindset” by unknowingly playing on a fractured foot, according to Dandenong Stingrays coach Nick Cox. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

A million thoughts raced through Noah Mraz’s head when he was sidelined for three months with a fractured foot.

Mraz had just been told he had carried his injury through pre-season, two Coates league and two AFL Academy games.

But one thought rung as loud as any other.

“I thought I couldn’t work harder than anyone anymore,” Mraz said.

Mraz had a goal to be the hardest working Dandenong Stingray this year and felt the diagnosis had skewed that aim.

Yet the 198cm defender is realising he can still be the best blue-collar ‘Ray by targeting faults.

“I was pretty devastated, I still am, but I have things I can get better,” he said.

“I am pretty skinny, so it gives me a good chance to work on a deficiency I have – get stronger, put on a bit of size.

“I will fall away in some people’s minds but I am controlling what I can control every day in the gym and with my mindset.

“I had this mindset that I didn’t want anyone to work harder than me. When I got the injury I thought I couldn’t work harder than anyone anymore, but I still have that mindset and I feel positive about it.

“I am pretty competitive, I want to be the best, even though they are my teammates, I still want to work harder than everyone.”

Noah Mraz playing for the AFL Academy with a fracture in his foot. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Mraz will be out for 12 weeks. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Stingrays coach Nick Cox said Mraz’s ability to maintain standards through injury since October was “extraordinary”.

“Working through that pain, still training and playing at an elite standard, it just shows his mindset,” Cox said.

“I think the silver lining is he’s going to get a little bit bigger.

“He’s one of the best keys in the country, his mindset is really positive, he will give himself every chance.”

Mraz always played footy growing up but basketball was his main focus.

He climbed to state-level heights before “footy just took over”.

“I always preferred basketball but that changed as soon as I made Stingrays, it made me fall in love with the sport,” he said.

“Stingrays flipped it and everything about footy changed, it felt like everything I ever wanted to do and put my effort into – in the end it was easy to pick.”

Mraz has already put on 5kg but aims to add more. Picture: Jazz Bennett

Like many basketballers-turn-footballers, Mraz views flying for marks as his greatest strength.

Cox sees that too but thinks he’s underrated elsewhere as well.

“I think his body positioning is very good,” he said.

“He never really gets caught out of position and his closing speed is good too, so he’s underrated in that area.”

As well as focusing on his size, Mraz is becoming “a student of the game” by watching tape and viewing Stingrays’ games from the coaches’ box.