THE dust from this year’s AFL draft has barely settled, but one homegrown gun already has his sights set on the 2016 intake.
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Albury and Murray Bushrangers forward Zach Sproule has been training with the GWS Giants this week as part of his program with the AFL Academy.
Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Jeremy Cameron and Steve Johnson had been an amazing experience for the teenager.
“It’s pretty unreal watching guys like Jeremy Cameron, Cam McCarthy and Steve Johnson going about their work,” Sproule said.
“They’ve been really great to talk to as well, I’ve been given heaps of advice.
“I was talking to McCarthy and Cameron about my body positioning, and Johnson was giving us a lot of advice about how to look after our bodies and the mental side of things.”
Sproule isn’t the only Bushranger in Sydney this week, with incoming coach Leon Higgins also making the trip north.
They train at such high intensity, it’s an eye opener in terms of what I need to do to get drafted.
- Zach Sproule
Higgins was visiting the Giants as a part of the TAC Cup’s coaching development program.
“It’s been good to have Leon up here as well, we have a bit of history through the Albury thirds, and it’s good to get to know each other a little more,” Sproule said.
“He’ll bring a few things back to the Bushrangers pre-season I’m sure.
“I’ve certainly learned a fair bit about what it takes to make it at this level.
“If you don’t learn to keep up you get left behind quickly.
“The intensity they train at is so high, and I want to do my best to incorporate that into my own training.
“It’s an eye opener in terms of what I need to do to get drafted.”
Incoming coach Higgins said Sproule had done well to keep pace with his more experienced counterparts throughout the week.
“He’s doing well to keep up and hold his own,” he said.
“Certainly in terms of his ball-skills he’s on track.”
The Giants coaching staff’s emphasis on contested football was something that had really stood out to Higgins.
“There was a lot of contested work in their training, and they also did a lot of work in lines,” he said.
“It’s been terrific to have an up-close look at how they’re preparing.”
The Bushrangers this week announced their coaching group for the 2016 season.
Ben Davey, Ross Hill and Adam Madura will all stay on as assistant coaches.
Mark Brown, Peter Sheehan, Justin McMahon and Wangaratta Rovers legend Robbie Walker have signed on as development coaches.
