Tasmania’s Tom McCallum keen to power AFL dream following draft selection
Tom McCallum started the week with dreams of being an AFL footballer. Now- following his selection in Tuesday night’s AFL Draft- those dreams are a reality. See his first reactions and where he ended up.
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HE started the week with dreams of being an AFL footballer but following his selection in Tuesday night’s NAB AFL Draft those dreams are now a reality for Tom McCallum.
McCallum was selected with pick 36 by Port Adelaide on night two of the national draft with the talented defender finding it hard to sum up what has been a whirlwind past few days.
“It was a pretty quiet night. I just had the family – mum, dad and the two brothers with me,” McCallum said.
“It was a pretty nervous wait the whole day but it was good to hear my name called out and some relief too. It was a very exciting time in the house.”
McCallum, who was drafted just six picks after fellow Tasmania Devils defender Lachie Cowan, had a number of conversations with his new club throughout the season but was still in shock hearing his name read out.
“I had a few interviews with them at the combine and a few others here and there so it wasn’t a complete surprise but definitely wasn’t expecting anything,” McCallum said.
“There was no real indication but they did show a bit of interest.
“It does always depend on what other clubs do beforehand with their picks. They liked me I think so I wasn’t fully surprised but also wasn’t 100 per cent sure I’d go.
“They have been around for 150 or so years so I’m very excited to go to such a traditional club. They’ve got such a good, young list and are in a very good spot so I’m looking to meet everyone and earning the respect.”
The Clarence TSL player, and son of Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame inductee Scott McCallum, said he’d had over 100 messages of support from friends and family following his selection and had also spoken with Power coach Ken Hinkley and a number of senior players.
McCallum will fly to Adelaide on Thursday to undertake a two-week training block before joining the rest of the playing group for a pre-season camp on the Sunshine Coast and returning to Tasmania for Christmas.
Two more Tassie stars join the AFL
TASMANIA has achieved its best result at the AFL draft in seven years with a quartet of fresh young stars set to represent the Apple Isle in the AFL next season after two more Tassie Devils joined the AFL ranks through Wednesday’s Rookie Draft.
Forward pocket rocket Seth Campbell and athletic ruck-forward Cam Owen will join Devils teammates Lachie Cowan and Tom McCallum in the big time next season after both were given life-changing opportunities through Richmond and Sydney.
The selections cap off a big 24 hours for Tasmanian footy with the four new Tassie draftees making it the most successful AFL draft period for the state since 2015 when five Tasmanians were picked up.
Campbell, 17, will join the Tigers after being selected at pick 12 while Owen will join the Swans after they took a chance on the raw but athletic youngster with pick 17.
Campbell, who hails from Burnie, was rewarded for a stellar season for the Devils in which the crafty forward averaged 19 disposals and kicked 16 goals across 13 NAB League games before putting on one of the best TSL performances ever seen from a teenager.
Playing for the Northern Bombers against North Hobart in round 20, the 179cm dynamo danced around his Demons opponents like witches hats for most of the day as he finished with an incredible tally of 10.6 to go along with a lazy 32 disposals in a monster 122-point win.
Richmond recruiters were quick to praise the young Tasmanian following his selection on Wednesday.
“We like his footy smarts, running strength and ball use,” they said.
“He has class with his feet while also seeing the game well to get into dangerous positions in the flow of play and he is a dangerous goal kicker.”
Meanwhile, Owen, a 203cm versatile key position player, was picked up by the Swans after showing huge upside in his role between the ruck and up forward in the Devils breakout season which saw them finish one point off a maiden NAB League grand final.
While the 18-year-old, who is the brother of Hobart Hurricane Mitch Owen, is far from the finished product, his mobility for his size and his strong hands up forward have him viewed as a long-term project that the Swans will be hoping can thrive in their elite environment.
Owen has said he models his game on a very similar size and shape footballer in Western Bulldogs rising star Tim English.
While Tasmania now has four new AFL-listed players, this year’s fifth and final Devils draft hopeful Brandon Leary could consider himself unlucky after missing out on selection in both the National and Rookie drafts.
The 177cm forward was overlooked despite leading the Devils goal kicking (33 goals) and kicking the third most majors across the entire NAB League.
Dream draft for Tasmanian young guns
A boyhood dream has come true for Tasmania’s Lachie Cowan, drafted to Carlton with pick 30 in the NAB AFL Draft on Tuesday night.
The highly touted youngster – who many tipped to go on night one – was selected by the club he supported as a child following a pick swap between the Blues and Collingwood.
The Blues delivered an early birthday present of sorts for Cowan who turns 18 on Thursday.
The North West Coast product put together a stellar 2022 NAB League season where he won the Morrish Medal as the competition’s best and fairest player.
The Tasmania Devils co-captain ranked elite for disposals (26.9 per game), marks (five per game), intercept marks (2.2 per game), intercept possessions (eight per game) and score involvements (5.3 per game) and will no doubt be looking to make his mark on the competition next season.
“I’m pretty speechless. I’ve gone for the Blues all my life so very, very happy,” Cowan told Fox Footy.
“I was pretty nervous going to sleep last night (Monday) so I went out and played a round of golf with a couple of mates so I wasn’t too bad today.”
Tom McCallum was the next Tasmanian selected with the Clarence TSL product selected with pick 36 by Port Adelaide.
McCallum, likened to Sydney defender Tom McCartin, impressed recruiters throughout the NAB League season and the Allies during the NAB AFL Championships.
McCallum, the son of Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame inductee Scott McCallum, put together an impressive NAB League season to draw the eyes of recruiters despite missing the AFL combine through injury.
Seth Campbell, Brandon Leary and Cam Owen all remain in the mix to be drafted in Wednesday’s Rookie Draft which will be held from 3pm.
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