Brisbane academy player Connor Ballenden hot property at 2017 AFL National Draft

HE is one of the best athletes in this year’s draft and can play a variety of positions. It is little wonder clubs are scrambling for Connor Ballenden.

Chris Cavanagh

less than 2 min read

November 22, 2017 - 5:00PM

AFL News

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HIS father Gavin represented South Africa in rugby and his mother Gail was an 800m runner for New Zealand.

It is little wonder that Connor Ballenden is considered one of the best athletes in this year’s AFL Draft pool.

Standing 199cm and weighing in at 95kg, Ballenden’s potential is seemingly limitless.

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The 18-year-old has spent time as a forward, defender and ruckman over recent years, his strong marking and penetrating kick highlights of his game.

“Today in the AFL you can’t really be one position anymore,” Ballenden said.

“Being able to play in defence, in the ruck and forward is just something that you need to be able to do. It just gives you versatility and a chance to play around the ground if you’re not playing that well you can change it up.”

Connor Ballenden gets a kick away during the AFL Under-18 National Championships earlier this year. Picture: Adam Trafford/AFL Media

Ballenden wasn’t playing well as a forward in the first two rounds of the under-18 national championships this year and had his breakout game after being moved to the other end of the ground, racking up 20 disposals and eight marks for the Allies against Western Australia.

“Pretty much up until this year I’ve always played as a forward/ruck so the defence has been very new and a learning experience,” Ballenden said.

“I’ve had to change a few things. You have to be a little bit more reactive as a defender.”

Hailing from west Brisbane, Ballenden has been a member of the Lions’ academy since he was 12 and trained with the club last summer as part of the AFL Academy program which he described as an “eye-opening” experience but has had interviews with all 18 clubs.

“I’m very grateful for everything Brisbane’s done and would love to go there but if the time comes where they don’t match a bid on me I’d happily go anywhere else,” Ballenden said.

“I’d just really like to be part of any club.”