Persistence pays off for Angus

All the hard work is starting to pay off for Angus Anderson who has been picked in the Sydney Swans Academy Under 19 team for its three NAB League matches.

The first of these matches was last Saturday (22 May) against Gippsland Power in Werribee where Angus capped his selection in the team with appointment as Captain and was voted best on ground by his peers. Not bad for a kid from Sawtell who only turned 18 today and finds himself leading a group of city kids who are up to a year older than him and who regularly train together.

A strong-bodied midfielder, he only officially joined the Academy this year after being invited down to training in Sydney by Academy Head, Chris Smith who had word from up north that Anderson was developing well.

After two years with the Northern Heat program Anderson was invited to trial with the Southport Sharks VFL team. After five weeks travelling to and from the Gold Coast, Angus was placed on the Sharks’ supplementary list which brought him to the attention of the Sydney Swans.

It’s meant many hours travelling to and from Sawtell, as well as a few Zoom feedback sessions with Academy Head Coach Jared Crouch when he can’t make it to Sydney.

“I’d had some contact on and off with the Academy over the years and did a couple of training sessions in the Under 13s,” Anderson said. “But it was hard with my geographical location, so I’m super-excited to be part of the Academy this year.”

He grew up playing both rugby union and footy but his love for AFL was fostered by his Melbourne-born father and his brothers.

“I started when I was four or five. I played rugby union too and it’s the tackling and physicality that I like most,” said Anderson, who for the past two years has been playing senior football against men in the North Coast competition.

Crouch and the Academy’s Head of Development Nick Davis have both been impressed with Anderson over the past few months.

“He’s showed a real willingness to learn and been diligent in watching the vision that we’ve sent him,” Crouch said. “He’s a hard-working and physically strong midfielder, he’s clean with the ball and makes good decisions by hand and foot.”

Anderson said he had learned a lot since joining the Academy and loves getting feedback from the coaches. “I’m trying to pick their brains, trying to find out a lot more about where to position myself at stoppages. It’s great to get that tactical knowledge about where to stand and where to run to,” Angus said.

Next up for Angus and the team is the second NAB League match against Dandenong Stingrays on Saturday (29 May), followed by their last match against the Northern Knights the following week (5 June). Both matches are in Melbourne so Angus will fly to Sydney on the Thursdays to spend time with the team, then fly to Melbourne for the match.