Hopefuls warned on posts

AFL clubs are tracking the social media profiles of draft hopefuls for six months to weed out players of borderline character.

Clubs have started handing lists of 50-100 potential draftees to their social media team so they can track them all season leading into the draft.

It enables list managers to assess problematic posts and a player’s character before clubs make big investments in their early draft selections.

Carlton was embarrassed when it drafted Blaine Boekhorst at No.19 in 2014 only to discover on national draft night he had posted a tweet calling for then-coach Mick Malthouse to be sacked.

Now the Blues are able to use the tracking of draftees’ social media accounts as a cautionary tale, making hopefuls aware that anything they post will be scrutinised.

Clubs are going to extreme lengths to ensure the players they draft are maximising their potential. They speak to family, friends and school connections to ensure there are no red flags that will cruel the youngsters’ chances of AFL success.

AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan said yesterday players were repeatedly educated on the perils of social media leading into the November 22-23 draft.

“Clubs are looking for chinks in the armour that might suggest something about your character,” Sheehan said. “Boekhorst didn’t realise that it might bite him on the bum, but these days players are taught the do’s and don’ts.

“In the national academy that is a major focus because they are the guys most likely to get picked up.

“The Boekhorst example has been given and for a long time it has been a major focus.

“NFL and NBA examples are used because there have been some classic blunders.”

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told AFL representatives at the NFL combine that he spoke to potential firstround picks to assess their character.