Two impressive NAB Challenge performances has Sean Lemmens pressing hard for a spot in the Gold Coast SUNS’ round one team.
The 19-year-old South Australian has started his AFL career like a house on fire, impressing with his versatility, speed and composure down back.
The man responsible for the team’s defensive set-up, assistant coach Dean Solomon conceded Lemmen’s fast-start would make it hard to keep him out of the side’s season opener against Richmond next fortnight.
“Yeah it’s looking like he is going to be a good pick up for us,” Solomon told reporters after Sunday’s match.
“Obviously he has to work on his fitness but Seany looks like he is going to be a very nice player.”
In just his second appearance, Lemmens showed a bit of everything.
He managed 12 touches, four tackles and three rebound-50s, turning in an all-round performance.
Like the team, his confidence grew as the game wore on, showing flashes of his “energiser-bunny” style of play.
Confident he can match it at the elite level, Lemmens told SUNS TV the challenge for him now was to adjust to the enhanced intensity and pressure that comes with playing senior AFL football.
“I’m slowly getting a bit of confidence,” he said.
“The thing that I am really coming to terms with his the pressure and how it is always hot. You can’t afford to have the ball for more than a few seconds.”
“But yesterday I played pretty much a full game, so it’s good knowing I can run out a full game and still shut down an opponent.”
While Lemmens has openly talk about modelling his game after zippy wingman Jarrod Harbrow, he says he has learned a great deal under Steven May, who has been a significant influence for Lemmens on the playing field.
“May has been good for me. He has been like the captain back there for us so it’s good to have someone like that to lean on who controls the backline so well.”
Although an early season birth appears imminent for the dynamic teenager, Lemmens is focused on improving and developing as a football player.
“I really just set myself the goal of hopefully playing a few pre-season games and going from there.
“I’ve had two games now and feeling confidence, but I just want to keep improving my footy.”
