Bewick says Cats bagged a ‘bargain’
I RECKON THEY MIGHT’VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A BARGAIN WHERE THEY ACTUALLY GOT HIM.
OUT goes Kreuger and in comes Kroeger.
Geelong parted ways with Nathan Kreuger during the trade period but has gained a “bargain” in Flynn Kroeger, the unassuming Yarra Valley boy who did not know about the talent pathway to the AFL.
“I just thought you went from playing local footy and senior footy and went into the draft or the clubs just came to you,” Kroeger said as the Cats paraded out this year’s draftees.
“I had no idea about NAB League or anything like that.”
The 183cm midfielder has been limited in the past two years because of Covid and injury but was taken with pick 48 in last week’s draft.
Two-time Essendon premiership player Darren Bewick, who worked with Kroeger at Rowville Secondary College and Eastern Ranges, said he believed Kroeger had a future at the highest level.
Bewick said Kroeger had impressed with his uncompromising approach, skills on both sides of his body and determination. He also said his penetrating kick could make him a “real weapon”.
“He’s desperate to make it,” Bewick said. “He’s certainly got all the attributes. It would’ve been interesting to see what might have happened had he had a full crack at it.
“I reckon they might’ve got
DARREN BEWICK, PICTURED
a little bit of a bargain where they actually got him. Hopefully it turns out that way.”
Kroeger debuted in the NAB League with Eastern as a 15-year-old midway through 2019 and said Geelong had shown interest in his talent since then.
But his development has been punctuated by repeated hip injuries.
Two years ago, he fractured his left hip “just kicking the footy at school”, which was followed by hip flexor injuries on both sides of his body.
“I haven’t really had the best run, but they’re good as gold now,” Kroeger said.
AFL talent ambassador Kevin Sheehan dubbed him “the absolute diamond in the rough” of the national draft.
Bewick said clubs had shown late interest in Kroeger.
“It wasn’t just one club, it was starting to become five, six, of which three were really interested,” he said.
“He’s got attributes to suggest that he can be successful at the next level.”