CANBERRA’S Jack Steele has a quality AFL clubs are searching for.

In these times when an attitude of entitlement is predominant the 18-year-old has fought his way back to form after suffering a knee injury last year that thwarted his being drafted for the 2014 season.

Jack has been part of the GWS Academy, and the Giants are keen to draft him, but face stiff competition from rival clubs.

GWS list manager Stephen Silvagni told me that AFL clubs are looking for that fighting quality, a “coming back from adversity” mentality in a young player; the qualities that show they won’t give up.

Clubs are looking for players such as Brownlow medalist, Matt Priddis, who remained positive despite numerous hurdles including four draft rejections.

In many respects, the multiple rejections have shaped Priddis as a player who simply gets on with the job.

AFL clubs have seen the same “never-give-up” quality in Steele and have beaten a path to Canberra to talk with him and meet his family.

It is becoming very much part of recruiting that clubs of every code are determined to find out as much as possible about a player before they are drafted. The type of family a potential player comes from can be a major influence when clubs are deciding on players.

No doubt they would have been told that Jack went to Burgmann College where the greater focus of the college student body was on rugby union. But he resisted many overtures to switch codes and stayed with Australian Rules.

Former Brisbane Lions’ premiership player and Brownlow medalist Michael Voss tells the story of going to school age 11 in Queensland when his family moved north and being one of only two kids in the school who played AFL. Once again, he had to overcome many hurdles before he was drafted.

Like Voss and Priddis, the basis is there for a player such as Jack Steele to succeed.

 

A NUMBER of sports representatives are telling me they are bursting at the seams with insufficient facilities to cater for the number of people wanting to play their sports.

For instance, there are limited indoor basketball courts, with some games scheduled at 9pm on Sundays because it is the only time they can get on court. Friday night at the Lyneham Netball Centre during summer provides an indication of the growth of indoor soccer or Futsal.

Social netball is another sport taking off and the ice-skating community believes it needs improved facilities.

It could be time for a summit on community sport facilities to establish future priorities so those who want to play aren’t turned away because of insufficient resources.