Young gun joins exodus of stars departing for South Australia
Some of Tasmania’s most talented footballers – including one of the state’s best draft chances – are heading to a mainland competition in another major blow for the code in this state.
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ONE of Tasmania’s best draft hopefuls is joining the exodus of talented Tasmanian footballers departing for South Australia.
North Launceston key forward Jackson Callow has committed to Norwood under Tasmanian Jade Rawlings to play in the SANFL this year.
He joins the likes of Kieran Lovell (West Adelaide) and Aiden Grace (Central Districts), while Mitch O’Neill and Fraser Turner both came out of the AFL system last year and have signed with South Adelaide rather than returning to Tasmania.
Launceston’s premiership midfielder Jared Dakin is also heading to the SANFL to play with Sturt.
But what makes Callow’s move unusual is that he is still eligible to play with the Devils this season as the NAB League has been increased from an under-18 to an under-19 competition – putting him in front of AFL recruiting scouts each weekend.
Jackson was considered close to the state’s best chance at last year’s AFL draft, but went unselected in either the national or rookie draft despite strong performances for the Devils as a 17-year-old in the NAB League in 2019 and a full year of senior football for the Northern Bombers last season.
Rawlings would not say if playing in the SANFL would be better for Callow’s draft chances than playing in the NAB League or the TSL.
“That is not for me to really comment on, all I know is the SANFL is a strong competition outside the AFL and he’s going to be playing in a good competition against quality players with a couple of AFL clubs around in Port (Adelaide) and Adelaide,” Rawlings told the Sunday Tasmanian.
“The competition over here is really genuine and I think he made a good decision.
“The strike rate in South Australia is a bit higher currently on going to the next level.”
It is not so much the quantity but the quality that is leaving Tasmania to play interstate and deals another blow to the TSL and football in the state more broadly.
“It is not a 100 per cent ideal for the Tassie league, which I’m pretty passionate about,” Rawlings said.
“But given where they want to go with their careers, it is always an indication if they want to move away from home it must mean something to go and challenge themselves outside of what they know.”
AFL Tasmania talent manager and Devils coach Cameron Joyce said, at 196cm and 100kg, Callow was at a different maturity level physically than others in the under-19 NAB League.
“He is just working out where the best place for him to play is. Everyone is a different situation,” Joyce said.
“He’s played a lot of senior footy over the past few years and there were a lot chasing him.
“He still qualifies for the Allies in the under-19s (national championships) program so there is still an opportunity for him to play state footy.
“He’s just trying to work through where is his best chance to play to get on an AFL list.
“We’d love him to be playing in the under-19s, but at the end of the day it is his decision.
“We’ll support him and back him on that.”
Rawlings, a former North Melbourne assistant coach, spent some time with Callow when some of the Devils trained with the Kangaroos prior to COVID-19.
“He’s obviously got a lot to learn on how to play senior SANFL level but he’s a really good acquisition for us and a quality young fella,” Rawlings said.
“He’s quite raw in many ways but when you get someone who is 196cm and 100kg and can run pretty well, there is a fair bit to work with.”
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