Football Central

Jacob Weitering: The Interview

MH: What AFL club do you support?

JW: I’m a Melbourne supporter. Dad just called out the names of the teams and I liked the sound of the Melbourne Demons, and I have stuck with it, but they haven’t been the best lately.

 

What’s the best footy advice you’ve ever received?
Just enjoy yourself, enjoy your football and enjoy the things you do, never lose the love for the game.

Going up through the ranks from Vic Country into the National Academy it’s been stressful, but you’ve just got to enjoy yourself.

 

What AFL club do you think you might end up going to?

They pick us, we don’t choose where we go but obviously where I’ve been touted, in that top-5 bracket. I’ve spoken to Brisbane and Carlton of recent, but it could be Essendon or Gold Coast as well.

 

Was there a moment when you decided you wanted to be a defender?
It started in the U16s, Vic Country, I’d been kicking a few goals down forward but they decided to play me on a half-back flank. So I played there, had a few good games and I fortunately enough got a level one scholarship into the National Academy. Then I grew a little bigger and developed into a key position player alongside Kieran Collins.

 

Of all the players you’ve played on this year, who has been your toughest opponent?

I’ve played on the likes of Majak Daw, he’s just a very big body, Sudanese man, pretty good overhead mark.

Also Matthew Watson, a top-10 pick from Carlton. We played VFL sides in consecutive weeks in April. In terms of boys my age it would have to be Josh Schache. He’s just a very good mover for a 200cm forward, he’s pretty smart with his leading patterns and body work, so if he gets the ball inside 50 it’s going to go through the big sticks. Definitely Schache as a key forward has been my toughest opponent this year.

 

Which AFL player do you like to model your game on?

Harry Taylor is the main one, a premiership player for Geelong, he’s one. There’s also Michael Hurley, Lachie Henderson, Alex Rance, he’s probably the best key defender in the game at the moment, so he’s one I like to model my game on.

 

What’s your favourite football memory?

Playing for Vic Country at U16s & U18s level. We were underdogs at the time, we beat WA, lost to Vic Metro by a point, so we needed WA to beat Metro on Friday morning and that happened. In the U16s system if the top two teams are on the same amount of wins the winner of the game between them wins the whole thing. So that top of the table clash just happened to be the last game and we got up by one or two points which was nice, which is one of my favourite memories under coach Paul Henriksen. He then moved onto the U18s with us and we went 6-0 which was pretty cool. I was the captain and I was pretty happy with myself going into the last game as I was 5-0 with winning the toss. I wanted to go 6-0 with the tosses as much as the boys wanted to go 6-0 in the carnival, but I ended up losing the toss so I ended 5-1. But probably the two national championships are my favourite football memories.

 

Are there any players you’ve played with or against who haven’t been talked about much but you think could be great AFL footballers?

Obviously there have been a few boys with injuries going through their top age year, like my good mate Sam Skinner, he did his ACL in the second game against WA. He hasn’t been talked about much but he’s a very good key position player. There’s Charlie Curnow, he dislocated his knee, he’s just come back and he’s a difficult player to play on, probably second to Schache I’d say. The big one is Kieran Collins. He a great full-back and he could be up there with Rance. He’s a massive frame, I think he’s almost 100kg now, he’s a great guy to play with too.

 

What are your main goals once you reach AFL level?

Still the main goal is to get drafted, but if I am fortunate enough to be on an AFL list, at the end of the day would firstly be to develop myself and convince myself I’m ready to play.

But I’d love to play round one next year for example if I went to Carlton I’d play against the Tigers in front of seventy to eighty thousand at the G that would be a massive achievement. But it’s all about the development, physically and mentally. I don’t want to look too far ahead, or think about 100, 200, 300 games, I’ll focus on what’s ahead of me and go from there.

 

Who made you love football in the first place?

It started off with my parents. My dad played a fair bit of footy when he was younger, but he retired at 24 so he can still run around and kick a ball with me which is nice. Then it’s the people you meet along the journey, all the coaches, mentors, friends and family, a combination of them I guess, but it all started off with my parents.

 

Who has been your favourite coach?

Obviously I’ve had a few coaches over the years, starting off at Mt Martha, then Dandenong, Vic Country and the National Academy where I’ve worked under Brad Johnson and Brenton Sanderson. But the most influential coach I’ve had is Paul Henriksen. I had him from U16s to U18s. He never played, he’s a teacher at a country school, but my teammates and I have created a good bond with him on and off the field and he’s a bit of a fatherly figure as well.