The depth and quality of Gold Coast's midfield has been Will Brodie's biggest surprise since joining the club as pick No.9 in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft.
After a slightly interrupted pre-season due to knee soreness, the 18-year-old topped off an impressive JLT Community Series by playing the final quarter against the Western Bulldogs.
It puts him on the edge of selection to make a round one debut, but if that passes without his name in the team, he is set to get a chance early in the season.
Not that it will be easy to break into the midfield, Brodie says.
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"I didn't realise how much midfield depth there is here. It's unbelievable. There are forward-mids everywhere,” he told AFL.com.au.
Some of the players he refers to are obvious with Gary Ablett, David Swallow, Pearce Hanley, Aaron Hall, Jarryd Lyons, Touk Miller, Jack Martin, Matt Rosa, the injured Michael Rischitelli and Michael Barlow all representing a relatively experienced group.
Brodie, a tall inside midfielder, makes up a new wave of talented SUNS arriving to train and play in brand new facilities that includes his good friends, Ben Ainsworth and Jack Scrimshaw, and Cairns-product Jack Bowes.
The Coastal quartet are attempting to push the club into the finals for the first time.
Brodie has settled well, moving in with Swallow when he first arrived, then relocating to a host family along with Ainsworth, who the SUNS picked at selection No.4.
It is a big change for a Shepparton-raised boy who boarded at Scotch College for three years, and played for Murray Bushrangers and Vic Country.
Brodie also spent time at Richmond’s AFL Academy program, where his development was fast–tracked after hooking up with the Tigers midfield coach Andrew McQualter (who played five games in one year at the SUNS after 89 games with St Kilda).
"He [McQualter] took me under his wing and taught me how to find the footy at that bigger-bodied, higher level," Brodie said.
One of the bigger bodies he now competes with at training is fellow Shepparton product Michael Barlow, who was such a hero of Brodie's when growing up he hung a Fremantle jumper Barlow had signed on his bedroom wall.
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That past however was forgotten when he lined up in the JLT Community Series.
Against the Brisbane Lions, the experience was all that mattered, and he showed he could become a good player against Essendon before making a cameo appearance against the Western Bulldogs.
He is under no illusions as to what lies ahead.
"I would love to play some senior footy early but there are some elite mids in our team [so] competition for spots is really competitive," Brodie said.
"It is going to be a pretty tough midfield to crack in to but I will do everything I can to put my foot in the door."
