Picking up his first footy only four years ago, 15-year-old John Haggerty has felt like he has been living a dream since he signed with Collingwood late last month on the club’s New South Wales scholarship list.
Click here to view Collingwood's NSW-scholarship list.
A city slicker from Sydney, Haggerty laced up the boots as a favour to his mother's boss, who needed to make up the numbers for her son's local footy club.
Due to his significant height advantage (currently stands at 190 centimetres), Haggerty served as the side’s number one ruckman in his debut performance.
"Coming from a rugby league background, I never considered playing AFL when I was younger," Haggerty told collingwoodfc.com.au during his visit to the Westpac Centre.
"As soon as the ball was bounced I loved it. It was so quick, so much faster than league. So much more exciting."
After a two-year stint with Newtown he fittingly moved to the Western Suburbs Magpies playing in the Sydney Harbour competition.
"I quickly found out that I didn’t enjoy playing as a ruckman because I didn’t get enough of the footy. For the last two seasons I have rotated as a tall backman and leading forward."
Collingwood spotted him playing late last year in the state carnival held in Albury.
"John stands at 190cm and having just turned 15 years old, he has great natural speed having recently tested 2.91 seconds for the 20 metre sprint which would put him in the top 5% at last year’s national draft camp," said Collingwood’s national recruiting manager Derek Hine.
"At the recent NSW State Championships he was dominant and displayed scope that he could play midfield, defence or forward. A key feature of John’s game was his kicking which was not only very proficient but had great depth for a player so young."
Playing in the club’s under-15 side, Haggerty’s 2010 season has gotten off to a flying start with the big man booting eight goals from his first three matches. He will develop over the next three seasons with the goal to get drafted to the AFL at the end of 2012.
"It is still a dream. I can’t believe I am down here at a professional AFL club. To think that I could be playing in the AFL in just a few years is something I will have to get my head around."
Haggerty is Collingwood's last player to sign on the NSW scholarship list with the scheme ending this year due to the introduction of the Greater Western Sydney franchise.
"John is the last scholarship player that we are able to contract due to the AFL ceasing the program with the introduction of the Sydney Swans and GWS academies. We are delighted that John has chosen to accept our offer; he is a very driven young man with great family support. We believe John has definite AFL potential."
