AFL draft: Williamstown’s Michael Gibbons vows to prove people wrong
A string of VFL players was taken in the AFL drafts — but to great surprise, Williamstown’s Michael Gibbons wasn’t among them. He reveals his plans for next season.
Victorian Football
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Michael Gibbons started to get a “vibe’’ halfway through the AFL rookie draft.
He was watching it last Friday with two friends and as selections came and went without his name appearing on the screen of his phone, the Williamstown star began to think he would be overlooked. Again.
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“Just had a feeling, a vibe,’’ he was saying last night.
“It didn’t seem to be happening.’’
And, to widespread surprise, it didn’t happen for the VFL’s most accomplished player.
Before the national and rookie drafts everything pointed to the prolific midfielder finally earning an elevation to AFL ranks.
He’d had another superb season, winning a second JJ Liston Trophy and his first Willy best and fairest, gaining team-of-the-year honours and earning a much-publicised boost from Paul Roos on Fox Footy.
Gibbons met clubs and had contact with others. The word got around that one had tracked down his old school teachers, eager for character references to go with the testimony of a 509-possession season.
“Mate, he’s been ready for a while,’’ Willy coach Andy Collins said of Gibbons a few weeks ago.
Thanks to everyone for all of the kind words last 24 hours, disappointing again for myself but won’t be the end.
— Mick Gibbons (@MiichaelGibbons) November 24, 2018
So happy for the other 3 lads from @WilliamstownFC cav, shoot & bing!
Well deserved, be good to see them all make an impact next year!
Collins had been bashing ears about Gibbons and his teammates Brett Bewley, Lachie Schultz and Ben Cavarra since the end of the season, much as he did 12 months earlier.
It was a bumper haul for Willy. In the national draft, Cavarra went at No 45 to the Western Bulldogs, Schultz to Fremantle at No 57 and Bewley to the Dockers at No 59 — three Towners in 15 picks but not Gibbons.
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Other VFL players were chosen too: Magpie Marty Hore to Melbourne, Bomber Nick Hind to St Kilda and Footscray’s Will Hayes to the Bulldogs.
Gibbons looked to the rookie draft but found only more disappointment. More VFL players were selected — Kieran Strachan (Port Melbourne/Essendon), Tom Jok (Collingwood), Jake Aarts (Richmond) and Tom Atkins (Geelong) — and the league finished with its best return in years.
But the right-footer described by Willy assistant coach Peter Banfield as the “best player in the VFL’’ was passed over.
“Definitely disappointing ,’’Gibbons said.
“There was some interest there. Obviously you don’t know the ins and the outs of it, how keen they were and everything, but from the conversations there were a few clubs looking at me.
“I knew I’d had my best year of footy and had spoken to some people. I went into the day pretty hopeful but it didn’t play out the way I expected. Letting myself hope that it could happen, that’s why it hurt so much, I guess.’’
Gibbons has had a few days to come to terms with his omission.
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He said it was “pretty raw’’, but he would “push on’’.
“I’ll pick myself up. It’s nowhere near the end for me,’’ he said.
“I’ve still got the drive, I still know I can do it, I want to prove some people wrong. I’ll still be at it.’’
It will be back at Williamstown. He said he wanted to play 100 games for the club — he’s on 90 — and receive life membership.
“Willy is home. It’s been good to me. Won a flag there and will hopefully win another.
“I went into this year concentrated more on enjoying my footy and it seemed to work out. So I’ll be doing that again.’’
Gibbons was thrilled for the Seagulls who were drafted, particularly Cavarra, whom he played against in the TAC Cup.
Both graduated from the Under 18 competition as highly rated players, but with knocks on their height.
“I couldn’t be happier for ‘Cav’. I’ve been in his position, he’s been in mine, and to see him get a crack at it, honestly, I was rapt for him,’’ Gibbons said.
“I think all three of the Willy boys will make an impact next year.’’
Cavarra won two Frankston best and fairests as an onballer, but has developed into a small forward in the past two seasons, kicking more than 60 goals.
After the rookie draft one VFL general manager suggested Gibbons should make a similar transition, playing a whole season as a “high half forward, crumbing forward’’. He suggested Gibbons could achieve better numbers than Cavarra.
Gibbons said he would talk to Collins about spending time as a forward but he didn’t want to be classified as an inside 50m player.
“It’s a conversation I’ll have with ‘Collo’ over the next couple of weeks. But I wouldn’t want to pigeonhole myself as a forward pocket with no guarantees from anyone and then not enjoying football. Not to say I won’t enjoy it but to go out and pigeonhole myself and nothing to come to fruition. I’ll do whatever’s best for Willy. If that means spending more time forward now that ‘Cav’ (Cavarra) and ‘Shooter’ (Schultz) are both gone, then, yeah, I’ll be definitely up for it. It’s another avenue that might take my game to another level, who knows?’’
Hard to know what to say after today’s proceedings. Amazing that 3 great blokes/players get their deserved chances.
— Ads Marcon (@adsmarcon) November 23, 2018
Gibbo will get better again and continue to embarrass those who were taken instead of him.
Well done to the coaches, players & staff @WilliamstownFC https://t.co/x8DL97YJDa
The commentary surrounding Gibbons after the drafts amounted to an outcry, and he said he had been overwhelmed by the messages of encouragement and support.
He said it was reassuring that people cared and had confidence in him.
A recruiter told Leader that Gibbons “will get his chance if he sticks at it … the new rookie rules that allow them to play immediately only enhances ready-made players … the right clubs at the right time will pull the trigger on him.’’
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