Will Sutherland faces tough choice as he is pursued by both cricket and football
CAPTAINING Australia to a World Cup or being drafted to the AFL are only dreams to thousands of children, Will Sutherland could be forced to chose between them.
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RODNEY Hogg says cricket is badly compromised in its ability to lure Will Sutherland away from footy as a turf war rages over the potential top-three draft pick.
The son of Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland has roared up the draft charts after effortlessly adapting to a higher level in the recent under-18 championships.
Recruiters are giddy about his upside as a 195cm key forward who is just as capable of playing through the midfield.
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They think he has enormous scope for improvement as a big bodied midfielder like Patrick Cripps or Marcus Bontempelli who can also play forward.
After kicking five goals in three games with plenty of onball stints some recruiters have him as the third best player of November’s national draft.
But while he is yet to choose between footy and cricket, his father is currently locked in a torrid battle with cricketers as they seek a bigger slice of the code’s pie.
As a top-five AFL draft pick next year Sutherland could earn as much as $200,000 in his first year.
He has also been offered a three-year Cricket Victoria rookie contract which would pay him a base of $65,000 a year.
He will play three more games for Scotch College and is seeking a transfer from TAC Cup’s Sandringham Dragons to the Oakleigh Chargers to play more games.
Hogg told the Herald Sun cricket was in no position to bargain for Sutherland given the impasse over pay talks.
“You would like cricket to fight for him but how do they fight for him at the moment?’’ he said
“There is no chance. I don’t think they have got anything to negotiate with. They have got 240 players whose pay packets are stopping this week so how do they negotiate with Will?
“Will’s father is in an important position but would they (offer him more money) if his father wasn’t in that position?
“His No.1 love is cricket but at the end of the day - ‘I love footy and cricket but’ - you go where you are going to make the most money.”
The AFL is putting no pressure on Sutherland but would dearly love to steal away another star cricketer.
Sutherland must nominate for the draft by October but would join the likes of Stephen Coniglio, Jonathan Brown, Brett Deledio and Luke Hodge to choose footy over cricket.
Before his death, then-Victoria cricket coach David Hookes was preparing to make dual-sport star Deledio a significant offer above standard terms in a bid to make a stand against football.
If Sutherland did choose cricket he could potentially captain Australia’s under-19 team in next year’s World Cup, but Big Bash and IPL riches are some years away.
Vic Metro talent manager Brett Allison said Sutherland had impressed in his three games in the national championships.
“He didn’t dominate games but he certainly looked comfortable at the level,’’ he said.
“He looked comfortable as a key forward and as a midfielder which is his point of difference at that size. He has got a good tank and good endurance and he uses the ball well.
“The way the game is going the Patrick Cripps or Marcus Bontempelli big-bodied midfielder, they have become very valuable players with their size.
“I would think clubs think very positively about him. They were stoked about the way he played his school footy and the challenge was to transfer that form and that’s what he did.
“He was able to compete with guys at that level who had been in development pathways for years.”
Recruiters will look for one more breakout game at Scotch College and hope he will play several TAC Cup games.
WILL SUTHERLAND (Vic Metro, key forward)
Under-18 National Championships averages
Ranking points: 71
Disposals: 10.3
Contested marks: 1.3
Forward half pressure points: 17 (elite)
Goal accuracy: 71 per cent (elite)
Could earn $200,000 if he played every game in his first season as an AFL footballer
Has been offered a $65,000 rookie contract with Cricket Victoria but could take many years to become a Test cricketer.
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