Local Prospect Is Keen To Bring It Home For The Swans

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday July 13, 2001

Alan Kennedy

The Swans may be Sydney's club but finding a player who was born within cooee of the harbour city is a little difficult.

Ruckman Greg Stafford is the only Sydney player in the team at the moment. But that will change after this year's draft if the Swans forgo their second-round draft pick and take Lewis Roberts-Thompson.

He's Sydney born and bred and keen to be a Swan.

Under the draft rules, Sydney have first crack at Roberts-Thompson because he is from the city's metropolitan area.

Roberts-Thompson was selected in this year's All Australian under-18 team last week.

At 196cm and 85kg he has loads of raw talent, although his Australian football experience is limited. He has played fewer than 50 games, as the demands of his school, Shore, means he has to play rugby and basketball. Which makes his selection in the all-star team even more remarkable.

Since 1990, only 17 NSW players have been named in that team and only five have been from Sydney.

``The All Australian team is a fantastic honour," Roberts-Thompson said. ``I went into the championships to show myself to AFL recruiters and make a name for myself. On top of that, to make the All Australian side was great."

He is rated by Australian Football League national talent manager Kevin Sheehan as more than just a good prospect.

``He has size, athleticism, can take a mark over his head and his rugby background means he can lay a tackle," Sheehan said. ``And he is a fine young man."

The team is made up of the best 22 players to emerge from the just-completed under-18 national championships.

The All Australians automatically qualify for pre-draft camp in October at the AIS in Canberra and, if they make it through that, they become part of the draft held later in the year.

Roberts-Thompson has been following the Swans since they began their charge for the 1996 grand final.

In Year 10, he did work experience at the Swans' office and did weight training with a then ``skinny" Tadhg Kennelly, the Irish recruit who made his debut for Sydney last weekend.

Roberts-Thompson said he had watched Kennelly run on in the Carlton game and pictured himself doing the same with the Swans one day.

``Of course, I would like to play for Sydney," he said.

``Apart from the convenience of not having to move, I think playing alongside all those people you look up to would be a pretty good thing."

But, as Kennelly found, it might take a while to get there.

Alan Kennedy's tips: St Kilda v ADELAIDE, CARLTON v Melbourne, Hawthorn v SYDNEY, WESTERN BULLDOGS v Fremantle, PORT ADELAIDE v Richmond, Collingwood v BRISBANE, ESSENDON v Geelong, West Coast Eagles v KANGAROOS.

© 2001 Sydney Morning Herald

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