RECOVERING lost luggage after a 20-hour flight from Cape Town to Perth wasn’t the ideal preparation for the Australian under-17 team in its match against WAFL side Peel Thunder on Saturday.
But compared to the experiences of the previous two weeks, it was a minor hiccup that only served to strengthen the resolve of the South African tour squad.
The acquisition of matching replacement gear from boots and socks, down to the chemist bought melt-and-mould mouthguards, toothbrushes and jocks, helped the team bounce back to enjoy a 52-point win at Subiaco.
“Head trainer Johnny Wastle and (AFL talent manager) Kevin Sheehan went out to buy toothbrushes and deodorant,” AFL youth and high performance co-ordinator Jason McCartney said after returning to Melbourne on Sunday.
“Fortunately we didn’t need too many razors for the boys to have a shave.
“The guys went out and played extremely well.
“What was pleasing was that the team could actually go out and execute what you’ve talked about over the past two weeks, regardless of the opposition,” he said.
As part of the tour, the squad was exposed to South African township life through running a FootyWILD (South Africa’s version of Auskick) clinic in Tembisa, near Johannesburg, and visiting the township of Khayelitsha out of Cape Town.
McCartney said the contrast between the beautiful landscapes and harsh living environments encouraged each of the players to appreciate their own privileged existence.
“Working with kids that are really struggling and living in pretty ordinary conditions, putting a smile on their face through teaching them footy was outstanding,” he said.
“When we speak to the boys about South Africa and what they experienced, overwhelmingly the message is we need to be very grateful for what we have at home and for where we were born.”
On Saturday night the squad named Joshua Toy as winner of the Ben Mitchell Medal, named in honour of a former squad member who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2002.
Mitchell was a tall key defender who played alongside former AIS squad members Beau Waters (drafted to West Coast) and (Brownlow Medallist) Adam Cooney, and was expected to be a first round draft pick.
The medal, which is presented to the player voted by his peers as having exceptional on and off-field qualities, reminded the players to embrace the present and take nothing for granted.
“You’re in an elite program but there’s no guarantee you’ll all get drafted. You just don’t know what’s around the corner, so really live in the moment and make the most of it,” McCartney said.
He said previous recipients of the Ben Mitchell Medal, which include round five NAB AFL Rising Star nominee Garry Moss (Hawthorn), Essendon’s David Myers, Melbourne’s Jack Grimes, and North Melbourne recruit Jack Ziebell, highlighted the quality of players coming through the AIS Academy ranks.
