How improved running has Sanders fit for AFL

A huge focus on improving his fitness and running capacity has paid off in a huge way for Launceston’s Ryley Sanders after he became just the second Tasmanian to claim a prestigious award.

Launceston’s Ryley Sanders poses with the Larke Medal. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

A close-up tutorial from AFL young guns Will Ashcroft and Harry Sheezel sparked a burning desire in Ryley Sanders to improve his fitness - and the reward is now hanging around his neck.

Always blessed with a football brain, the Launceston product’s development of his running power was a major factor in becoming just the second Tasmanian to win the Larke Medal as the standout player in the under-18 national championships.

Sanders averaged over 35 touches per game in the Allies’ history-making unbeaten run, and joins former Collingwood and Sydney midfielder Paul Williams (1990) as the only Tasmanians to claim the honour.

Incredibly the top two in voting both hail from Launceston, with North Launceston’ product Sanders (25 votes) edging out Launceston Blues junior Colby McKercher (20) in medal voting.

Sanders plays for Sandrigham in the Coates Talent League, and Dragons talent manager Mark Wheeler said his first season watching Ashcroft and Sheezel up close as a 17-year-old last year provided a fine example of where he needed to improve.

Former Sandringham captain Ashcroft claimed the Larke Medal last year.

“He’s definitely developed. This time last year I wouldn’t have said he was at that (medal-winning) level, but he’s done a lot of hard work to get himself to where he is,” Wheeler said.

“He definitely understands footy, but he’s got himself fit enough and definitely his running capabilities are now AFL-like.

“You see it a lot with bottom age players, they’re compete with 18 and 19 years old that have had one more pre season.

“You could see he was holding a bit of that puppy fat, which generally happens when boys move over (to Melbourne), go to private (school) and end up at a boarding house.

“They have unlimited food which is probably not the right foods, so there was a bit of education there with Ryley.

“He’s a great young man and everything he’s done he’s done it himself. He’s highly motivated to be drafted.”

Ryley Sanders in action for the Allies. (Photo by Graham Denholm/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Wheeler said Sanders, and even McKercher who has been lauded for his speed and ability to break lines, this year, have had to work hard on that area of their game.

“They were both knocked the year before a bit about their running power. These young men get a bit of feedback, that drives them, and I think it’s driven him (Sanders) to be a better player,” Wheeler said.

“We knew pre season his running power had gone up, he knocked off a fair bit of time off his 2km time trial.

“Colby has also shown he can finish off his work, everyone wants midfielders who kick goals. Hopefully he does go in those top three picks, I think he deserves it.

“Ryley did some really good stuff last year as an inside mid, but he was getting exposed a bit coming out of the contest. Opposition players were running away from him, but he had players like Will Ashcroft and Harry Sheezel who were teaching him along the way.

“He got a bit of that burn watching those boys, and he and Harry have become pretty good friends. Harry has conversations with him weekly on things he needs to work on which is good.”

Like Sheezel, who played forward for the Dragons but has established himself off half-back for North Melbourne, Wheeler said they drill into their players a need to be versatile.

“We teach the players here you have to be three-positional,” he said.

“You have to have the ability to play in all zones and defend, because that’s what the AFL clubs want from us.

“You say to the boys you might be a midfielder, but once you go to the AFL you’ll probably play on the flank.

“It’s about running through the zones and Ryley has proven he can do that. A lot of his stats were handball receives which shows he has a football brain and is running to the right spots.”