Golf keeping draft hopeful in the swing

COOPER Stephens is one of those athletes who could pick any sport and turn professional.

As Friday night’s AFL draft nears, Stephens is likely to distract himself with a round of golf.

It’s something he’s turned to in the past 18 months as an out from school and football, and his ability to swing a club is innate.

“I play golf a fair bit; I play a couple of competitions throughout the year when we have byes with footy, but footy has been a pretty big focus of mine this year — that and school,” Stephens said.

“I’ve been playing about a year and a half. We moved houses probably two years ago and we’re right opposite the golf course now, so I got a membership and thought I’d try it out, so I love it.

“I go off five, so I’ve been going down a fair bit over the past six months and the course is starting to dry up a bit.” But the 18-year-old seems destined to find an AFL home on Friday night, such is the regard he’s held in by Geelong Falcons coaches and his teammates.

Named co-captain at the start of the season, his fitness, line-breaking ability and sharp skills make him near on the complete package.

But a knee niggle in the past few weeks has curtailed his preparation for the big time.

“I’ve just got patella tendinitis, just under the patella it’s getting a bit annoying and irritated so I’ll get scans this week and see what’s going on in there because no one knows,” Stephens said.

“It’s just popped up the last two weeks.

“I went to the state screening and it was fine there; just the last two weeks it’s started to flare up. I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on.”

Meetings with AFL clubs have gone smoothly, with Stephens conceding he’s had “a fair bit of interest”.

It’s a shame, however, that the Trinity College student probably won’t be able to follow the draft live.

“I’ve got graduation on Friday, so I don’t know if I’ll be watching from school or mum will get a text from my manager,” he said.

Should Stephens slip through the draft, a spot at Geelong VFL beckons for the 180cm defender.