By Marc McGowan
Watching Patrick Voss strut, flex, fist pump and puff his chest out last week on his way to a career-best six goals against Collingwood was enough to make the most stoic Essendon fan wince.
The Fremantle key forward, known as “the Prancing Pony” due to his goal celebrations, is the one who got away at Tullamarine – a rookie selection who lasted only two seasons as a Bomber before being cut after winning the club’s VFL best-and-fairest award.
A fired-up Patrick Voss celebrates a key goal against Collingwood.Credit: AFL Photos
Imagine how he would look now next to Nate Caddy in the red and black?
Voss’ match-winning performance in the Dockers’ stunning upset of the Magpies at the MCG – during which star defender Darcy Moore was moved off him – was a reminder of the power of patience for big men.
Key forwards might be the game’s most valuable commodities, but identifying them is an inexact science, which is why these types of mistakes happen. Every club has its own Voss equivalent, whether positive or negative.
Voss occupies the same forward 50 as fellow rookie-come-good Josh Treacy, while other goalkickers across the AFL who have enjoyed rags-to-riches rises include Nick Larkey, Brody Mihocek, Mitch Lewis and Jake Waterman.
They all proved that you do not need to be a first-round selection to make it at the top level as an inside-50 target, along with the likes of Tim Membrey, Logan Morris, Shannon Neale and Joel Amartey.
In fact, Voss’ under-18s coach at Oakleigh Chargers, ex-AFL footballer Jason Davenport, who has since become the Giants’ head of development, sent him into defence in his draft year in an attempt to show recruiters what he could do.
“My original thoughts with Patty were that because of his size [194 centimetres], trying to sell him as a key forward to AFL clubs was going to be difficult,” Davenport told The Age.
“At the time, it was all about the King twins, Harry McKay and all these other emerging key forwards who were 200 centimetres, so I spoke to Patty about playing as a key defender to showcase his competitive nature, and how he can impact the game in the air and at ground level.
“The move was never about transitioning him into a key defender.”
Davenport was as chuffed as anyone about Voss’ breakout performance – albeit doing so “in the wrong jumper”, he joked – and was in contact with him afterwards, just as he was when his former player found out his time at Essendon was over.
The Bombers’ logic in delisting Voss was that, despite his ultra-competitiveness and toughness, he was an untrustworthy set-shot kick who needed to find more ways to stay involved in games.
That setback followed the Giants overlooking the Wagga Wagga product, who was part of the GWS academy. They instead selected another academy product, 187-centimetre defender Josh Fahey, who was delisted last year.
One veteran recruiter told this masthead that talent scouts typically judged key forward prospects in three main areas: competitiveness, athleticism and skill level. But recruiting them was a different beast to “dime-a-dozen” midfielders, the recruiter said.
Larkey was not even on Oakleigh’s playing list at the start of his draft season before being the No.73 pick that November, while Treacy, for example, struggled with injuries and conditioning.
Mihocek was 25 and a key defender when Collingwood plucked him from VFL obscurity and transformed him into a forward who has kicked more than 260 goals in the AFL.
The Bombers know Voss’ game better than anyone.Credit: AFL Photos
The Pies’ forward line is a perfect illustration of how every club has to go about building its attack differently. They signed Daniel McStay in free agency; Membrey off the scrapheap from St Kilda; and Mason Cox from the United States. Collingwood’s latest project is Charlie West, the No.50 pick last year from Woodville-West Torrens.
Gold Coast, on the other hand, have Ben King and Jed Walter, who were both selected inside the first six picks of their respective draft years.
Before the Western Bulldogs benefited from a cavalcade of father-son and academy key-position prospects, they handed Tom Boyd a million-dollar annual salary to lure him home from GWS to try and find an answer up forward. It can be expensive if you can’t find one in the draft.
“You have to look for moments that you think they can repeat. It could be a mark, or a tapout in the ruck that ends up being a goal,” the recruiter said.
“They’re not going to go out and get 20 possessions, so it’s totally different to scouting a midfielder, and you need to project a bit.”
Voss in his days with Essendon’s VFL side.Credit: AFL Photos
Davenport has seen all sides of the spectrum, as a player, Talent League coach and now head of development at an AFL club.
“There have been ebbs and flows over the last 20 years, where we were picking athletes [over pure footballers], then it was talent or list profile,” Davenport said.
“But I stand by my belief that the ones with an application to winning generally succeed. That can’t be taught.
“The great players are ruthless winners. That doesn’t mean you throw a blanket over all the competitive guys – it needs to be harnessed into reality, and what you are capable of – but those willing to continue to learn and apply themselves give themselves the best chance.”
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