For any young footballer the first season at an AFL football club is a daunting one both physically and mentally. For the first time they are playing with the big boys, doing a full pre-season and trying to fulfill what are often unrealistic expectations. The Bombers had six first-year players join the club this year after the national draft and assistant coach Mark Harvey believes they have coped with the pressures exceptionally well.

“With senior players you generally get a pretty even level of performance for most of the season. You know what they are capable of and in most cases they deliver. But with first-year players you do get those peaks and troughs and you can’t expect anything else – this is a whole new ball game for them,” Harvey said.

While no clubs like injuries, Harvey says it may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Bombers in terms of the development of their 2000 draft selections. “They have had to stand up this season because we have had players out. Two of them (Jordon Bannister and Marc Bullen) have played senior football while others have had to take on big jobs in the VFL competition. In the long-term it will be of great benefit to them.”

Harvey said that while it was Bannister and Bullen that got the nod at senior level, any of the draft selections could have played senior football this season. “I suppose as a selection panel and coaching panel you have to make a bit of an educated guess according to the team’s needs. You want to put players in when they are on their way up and that is what we did. If you think a young player might have trained off a little bit there is no use putting them in a ruining their confidence. It is not awlays easy to tell where they are.”

With the business end of the season fast approaching, Harvey believes one of the draft picks might just leap out of the pack and play a part for the Bombers in the remainder of 2001. Just who that player is remains to be seen. It might be Bannister or Bullen – or perhaps there is a smokey waiting in the wings. Only time will tell.

Harvey took a brief look at where each of the Bombers draft picks are at.

James Davies: “James has shown flashes of brilliance in the VFL side this season and there is no doubt that with the right attitude he can play at senior level. Offensively he has been good but defensively he needs to work a little harder. I think right now he probably understands much better what is required at AFL level than he did when he first arrived here.”

Ted Richards: “Ted has worked extremely hard in his first year – he has given it his all and that generally points to a player achieving his goals. He has played forward and back and is certainly adaptable. That is something you need to do with young players – throw them around a little and see what they can do. That said, I think it might be time to settle him into a position we think suits him best.”

Michael Davis: “Michael is finding plenty of the footy at the moment. He has also worked hard on his football and he is very physical in his approach on match day. He understands that running is one of his greatest assets and he is now using it to greater effect as a result. He is running into the right places and getting the rewards.”

Marc Bullen: “Marc has been the most consistent of our draft selections and has played some very good football in the VFL side. He is much fitter and covering more of the ground than he would have in the under 18 competition. He is an in-and-under type player who might jump out of the pack at the business end of the season.”

Sam Hunt: “It has been a tough year for Sam who has tried to juggle school, school football and commitments at Essendon Football Club – that is a pretty big ask. People should not forget he was the youngest of our draft selections. Like a couple of the others, I think the requirements of an AFL footballer are just starting to dawn on him.

Jordon Bannister: “Jordon has really transformed himself since arriving here. He runs much better than he initially did and has worked on building up his body. He has reasonable pace and one thing that has impressed us is his ability to take a mark – we are yet to see that side of his game at senior level. He is a good learner and he follows coaching instructions to the letter.”