Power assistant coach Jarrad Schofield says young gun Mitch Georgiades has similar traits to Fremantle superstar Nat Fyfe
He’s already been likened to West Coast star Jack Darling, but now Port Adelaide young gun Mitch Georgiades has drawn an even more impressive comparison – to a dual Brownlow Medallist.
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Port Adelaide assistant coach Jarrad Schofield has revealed his role in the drafting of West Australian young gun Mitch Georgiades and boldly declared he could turn into a Nathan Fyfe-type midfielder.
Admitting the Power took a first-round draft “gamble’’ on the teenage forward who did not play a game last year because of three surgeries on a serious quad injury, midfield mentor Schofield coached Georgiades at WAFL club Subiaco and told Port he had similar traits to dual Fremantle Brownlow Medallist Fyfe.
“It’s one of those things where I would like to claim it all (his drafting at pick 18),’’ 2004 Port premiership midfielder Schofield said with a chuckle.
“Obviously being a Subiaco product adds a bit more weight to it and, yes, it was a gamble because he hadn’t played any footy last year.
“I had my input and said he’s got the potential to turn into what I believe is a big-bodied midfielder.
“I think I might have even thrown out the name Nat Fyfe, that Mitch could end up being like him, the type of player who started as a forward and then ventured into the midfield in the future.’’
Fyfe was drafted by the Dockers as a key forward at pick 20 at the 2009 national draft from WAFL club Claremont before developing into arguably the AFL’s best midfielder.
The 28-year-old stands at 191cm and 93kg.
Georgiades, just 18, is already 192cm and 89kg and an athletic beast who thrilled the Port coaching staff with his standout pre-season and two-goal, 11-disposal performance against Gold Coast in round one.
Port recruitment was a shock
Georgiades thought Port Adelaide would be the last club he would be drafted to, and was blindsided when they read out his name on draft night.
“That’s quite a funny story because I didn’t really speak to Port prior to the draft,’’ he said.
“There was a Facetime meeting with one of their wellbeing blokes and a very brief interview with them at the draft combine, but that was it.
“My manager (Tom Seccull) said it looked like Port wouldn’t be the place for me, although it was possible they were playing a game with me, so I went into draft night not really expecting to end up there.’’
Then – as he was waiting for the 18th selection to be called out by the Power on night one of the two-day draft – Georgiades’ phone rang.
“My phone started ringing and I thought I’d better answer it – it was (Port coach) Ken Hinkley on the other end of the line,’’ Georgiades recalled.
“He rang about a minute before the selection was announced and said, ‘we’ll be taking you if that’s all good, we’ve locked in your name’.
“I was shocked but stoked, very excited.
“I didn’t think I’d be going to be Port, but it’s a very good place to be.’’
The Power had kept its interest in Georgiades, who missed the entire 2019 season after three surgeries on a badly calcified thigh, well hidden.
Georgiades said the other 17 AFL clubs had shown him more love, with Geelong his keenest suitor followed by GWS, Melbourne, Fremantle, West Coast and Hawthorn.
But Port had been tracking the athletic, high-leaping forward closely.
“We did keep him pretty quiet but we tracked him in 2018 and thought he’d be a pretty good player and rocket up the boards in 2019, but he didn’t get to play,’’ national recruiting manager Geoff Parker said.
“We did a lot of background checking – (Power assistant) Jarrad Schofield has that Subiaco connection (as a past coach there) and Taj, Jarrad’s son played with him – so we had a lot of intel on him and we’re excited he got to where he got to.
“We’re very, very comfortable with our decision to pick him.’’
The draft bolter has stacked on 5kg of muscle since arriving at Alberton to now tip the scales at 89kg and the early signs are that he is everything Port could have hoped for and more.
Georgiades described missing a season of football in his draft year in 2019 as “the toughest year of my life’’.
Now, finally fit and firing, in the AFL system and with a game already under his belt, he is loving life.
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How Georgiades grew his wings
Georgiades loves the thrill of the chase.
Since he was in primary school, Port Adelaide’s new teenage forward excitement machine has wanted to take flight in pursuit of the football, preferably on someone’s shoulders.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have a little bit of spring in my legs and I grew up just wanting to jump at the ball,’’ the 18-year-old said.
“I have always loved taking marks and flying into contests, that’s what I feel most comfortable doing.
“At primary school I was always trying to take hangers and loved watching other players do it, so it’s been ingrained in me from an early age.
“I’m a little bit undersized for a key forward, so I try to use my assets to my advantage.
“My marking is one of my weapons, so I jump hard at the ball and hope I bring a couple down with me.’’
West Australian Georgiades, standing at 192cm tall, idolised champion Essendon full forward Matthew Lloyd, who took AFL mark of the year in 2008.
The son of former Footscray forward John Georgiades, who famously kicked eight goals on debut against Carlton in 1989, Mitch has tried to emulate his hero Lloyd, but said “the aspect of flying sort of just came naturally to me’’.
An athletics background – he also played football and cricket as a kid – built strong leg muscles and helped with his spring.
“I was a sprinter, hurdler, long jumper and triple jumper, so that helped with my jumping ability,’’ Georgiades said.
Power coach Ken Hinkley has labelled his new recruit “a bit of a highlights reel’’ and hailed his courage and fearlessness in throwing his young, yet-to-be-fully developed body into the danger zone against far bigger and more experienced opponents.
Port’s No. 1 key forward Charlie Dixon described Georgiades as “one of the most exciting young prospects’’ he had seen.
“He’s jumping at everything and he’s just running around playing football, as young kids do,’’ Dixon said after the Power’s impressive Marsh Community Series win against Brisbane.
“He’s got an enormous leap on him and he’s got no fear, it doesn’t matter what’s in front of him.
“He just jumps at the football and he’s going to be a handful.
“You love blokes that are going to throw their body into the contest and it doesn’t matter what’s in front of them.’’
Georgiades’ fearless leaping was the hallmark of his under-age career with WA and Subiaco.
“Dad likes to think he was a courageous player and he’s always said just back yourself in and that if you do that nine times out of 10 you won’t get hurt,’’ he said.
“I’ve taken that mentality into my games, thinking if I hold back or take that split second to think about things then that’s typically when you find yourself in a bit of trouble.
“From a young age I’ve always felt comfortable flying in the air, with the attitude that if you’re going to go, go 100 per cent, rather than having a little bit of doubt in your mind.’’
Georgiades, whose favourite current opposition player is Collingwood high-flyer Jeremy Howe, has been working on his landing technique at training at Alberton with Hinkley and development coach Geoff Morris in a bid to try to prevent injuries and put himself in a position to attack the next contest when he doesn’t come down with the ball.
“It’s about trying to keep my feet when I come down so I can be ready to pounce on the next contest,’’ he said.
Georgiades looms as one of the Power’s great recruiting success stories.
A shock first-round draft pick last November (No. 18 overall) after failing to play a game in 2019 because of a thigh haematoma that required three operations, his pre-season was so strong that development coach Chad Cornes declared he was better at the same age than West Coast premiership forward Jack Darling.
“Before the draft we got told he’s a bit like Darling, but I doubt Darling was this impressive in his first pre-season, although I think he’s a brilliant player,’’ Cornes said.
“It’s been one of the best pre-seasons I’ve seen from a young key forward.
“I’ve never seen a young kid fly for as many marks as he does.
“He has a brilliant leap, he’ll fly from places he probably shouldn’t fly from, but the way he launches at the footy, hits the ground and gets straight back up is amazing.’’
Georgiades caught the eye in both of Port’s Marsh pre-season matches to ink his name in Hinkley’s best 22 for the round one clash against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium.
He didn’t enjoy the same spectacular debut that dad John did 31 years earlier, but he was still very impressive.
Georgiades booted two goals from 11 disposals and launched himself high into packs in front of John and mum Nadine, who were watching from the stands in a mainly spectator-free stadium because of the COVID-19 crisis.
An unforgettable moment in unforgettable circumstances - Mitch Georgiades first AFL goal is our @RAAofSA Goal of the Week!#weareportadelaide pic.twitter.com/fJYsx4X4Ud
— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) March 23, 2020
“Dad doesn’t talk about his career too much or his eight-goal haul first-up, which is a bit of a surprise because if I was him I’d be letting me know about it, but one of the first things he said when he saw me after my debut was, ‘it’s not quite eight, but it will do, mate’,’’ said Georgiades, who grew up as a West Coast fan.
“He got into me a little bit, but he was pleased with how I went.
“It was great to have dad and mum at the game because they have been amazing for my career and instrumental in getting me to where I am today, always kicking the footy with me at the park after school when I was young.
“They haven’t pushed me too hard but have always been there when I’ve needed them.’’
John kicked 27 goals in 15 games for Footscray from 1989-91 before rejoining WAFL club Subiaco.
Mitch returned to WA to spend time with his parents following football’s shutdown after Port’s 47-point round one triumph.
He is now back in Adelaide with the rest of the Power squad and is staying at teammate and former captain Travis Boak’s Somerton Park house while he serves a 14-day self-isolation period.
Seven weeks since his memorable debut, Georgiades cannot wait for football to restart.
“It’s what I love doing and it will be amazing to have it back,’’ he said.
Originally published as Power assistant coach Jarrad Schofield says young gun Mitch Georgiades has similar traits to Fremantle superstar Nat Fyfe
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