Patrick Voss was cut by the Essendon Bombers and is now a viral hit. Here’s how your club found its key forwards
“My original thoughts with Patty were that because of his size [194 centimetres], trying to sell him as a key forward to AFL clubs was going to be difficult,” Davenport told The Age.
“At the time, it was all about the King twins, Harry McKay and all these other emerging key forwards who were 200 centimetres, so I spoke to Patty about playing as a key defender to showcase his competitive nature, and how he can impact the game in the air and at ground level.
“The move was never about transitioning him into a key defender.”
Davenport was as chuffed as anyone about Voss’ breakout performance – albeit doing so “in the wrong jumper”, he joked – and was in contact with him afterwards, just as he was when his former player found out his time at Essendon was over.
The Bombers’ logic in delisting Voss was that, despite his ultra-competitiveness and toughness, he was an untrustworthy set-shot kick who needed to find more ways to stay involved in games.
That setback followed the Giants overlooking the Wagga Wagga product, who was part of the GWS academy. They instead selected another academy product, 187-centimetre defender Josh Fahey, who was delisted last year.
One veteran recruiter told this masthead that talent scouts typically judged key forward prospects in three main areas: competitiveness, athleticism and skill level. But recruiting them was a different beast to “dime-a-dozen” midfielders, the recruiter said.
Larkey was not even on Oakleigh’s playing list at the start of his draft season before being the No.73 pick that November, while Treacy, for example, struggled with injuries and conditioning.
Mihocek was 25 and a key defender when Collingwood plucked him from VFL obscurity and transformed him into a forward who has kicked more than 260 goals in the AFL.
The Bombers know Voss’ game better than anyone.Credit: AFL Photos
The Pies’ forward line is a perfect illustration of how every club has to go about building its attack differently. They signed Daniel McStay in free agency; Membrey off the scrapheap from St Kilda; and Mason Cox from the United States. Collingwood’s latest project is Charlie West, the No.50 pick last year from Woodville-West Torrens.
Gold Coast, on the other hand, have Ben King and Jed Walter, who were both selected inside the first six picks of their respective draft years.
Before the Western Bulldogs benefited from a cavalcade of father-son and academy key-position prospects, they handed Tom Boyd a million-dollar annual salary to lure him home from GWS to try and find an answer up forward. It can be expensive if you can’t find one in the draft.
“You have to look for moments that you think they can repeat. It could be a mark, or a tapout in the ruck that ends up being a goal,” the recruiter said.
“They’re not going to go out and get 20 possessions, so it’s totally different to scouting a midfielder, and you need to project a bit.”
Voss in his days with Essendon’s VFL side.Credit: AFL Photos
Davenport has seen all sides of the spectrum, as a player, Talent League coach and now head of development at an AFL club.
“There have been ebbs and flows over the last 20 years, where we were picking athletes [over pure footballers], then it was talent or list profile,” Davenport said.
“But I stand by my belief that the ones with an application to winning generally succeed. That can’t be taught.
“The great players are ruthless winners. That doesn’t mean you throw a blanket over all the competitive guys – it needs to be harnessed into reality, and what you are capable of – but those willing to continue to learn and apply themselves give themselves the best chance.”
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