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Colby McKercher is not a name you will see among the fastest sprinters or highest leapers in this year\u2019s AFL draft.<\/p>\n
But McKercher is a footballer \u2013 mind, body and soul. The Tasmanian native was born into a football family and since first playing as a five-year-old has loved nothing more than chasing the Sherrin around the ground.<\/p>\n
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Colby McKercher is Tasmania\u2019s leading AFL draft prospect this year.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AFL Photos<\/cite><\/p>\n That love extends to the craft of becoming an elite footballer, and it is further shown by the way he plays the game. He has the toughness to win the contested ball but also the dare to run down the outside and use his penetrating left boot to send his side into attack.<\/p>\n Plus, he has a knack for kicking goals. He booted one in almost every game for Tasmania this year and has done so since he kicked two goals on his senior debut for Launceston as a 16-year-old.<\/p>\n That drive to be great has pushed McKercher to sit among this year\u2019s best prospects, and it will be a shock if he lasts beyond pick five.<\/p>\n He\u2019s been strongly linked to joining North Melbourne, who have picks two and three, while Hawthorn would also give him a close look if he made it through to them at the next selection.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always loved footy. I\u2019ve never gone away from it and always wanted to play AFL footy,\u201d McKercher said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve played a lot of other sports but never had the same passion that I have for footy. That\u2019s why I work so hard because I\u2019ve dreamt of this since I was five years old.\u201d<\/p>\n As he chatted to this masthead at the MCG during the draft combine, he looked over the empty stadium, and you could see his mind already flashing forward to round one next season.<\/p>\n The Tassie kid who grew up loving AFL is ready to make the game\u2019s biggest arena his own.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s pretty intimidating, but I can\u2019t wait to be out there one day,\u201d McKercher said, surveying the people\u2019s ground.<\/p>\n Last year, McKercher showed promise as a bottom-age player. He focused on his training over the summer and on being a consistent performer for Tassie Devils and the Allies this year. He has dominated, averaging 33 disposals and finishing second in the Larke Medal as the Allies won the under-18 national titles. He was also co-winner of this year\u2019s Morrish Medal, with the Geelong Falcons\u2019 Patrick Hughes, as best play in the under-18s competition.<\/p>\n \u201cWe made a bit of history, winning our four games,\u201d McKercher said.<\/p>\n \u201cUsually, the Allies take two or three games to get gelled together but after the WA game, we stamped our authority on the championship and showed we were serious about winning the whole thing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe beat Vic Metro, and it got a bit real that we were going into the final game having to win the game to win the title. I enjoyed it; it was a such a good opportunity to perform well. I loved the competition and really enjoyed that last game.\u201d<\/p>\n Even before draft night arrives, some were questioning if McKercher and other Tasmanian hopefuls were going to be completely committed to their new clubs, given the AFL\u2019s Tasmanian team is pencilled in for entry to the league in 2028, even if the political battle around the building of a costly new stadium could slow that down.<\/p>\n McKercher is proud of his upbringing and heritage but is ready to chase his footy dreams on the mainland and wherever the draft sends him, although, at present, he looks likely to end up at a Melbourne club.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people say that, but I\u2019m not worried about the Tassie team at all,\u201d McKercher said.<\/p>\n Tasmanian midfielder Colby McKercher.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had no thought of playing for them as I\u2019m so ready to have a move. I\u2019ve been in Tassie all my life, it was great growing up there, but I\u2019m ready to move on, start a new chapter in my life and try to achieve things over here.\u201d<\/p>\n McKercher knows his home state is ready for its own AFL side, and will happily face them as a rival should that time come.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be pretty hectic down there,\u201d he said with a smile. \u201cWe have a lot of passionate supporters, passionate footy people. Wherever I go will be my new home and Tassie will be the rival on that day \u2013 it will be an interesting one but will be good.\u201d<\/p>\n McKercher\u2019s peers can see his class and ball-winning skills, including fellow draft candidate Archie Roberts.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s always got so much time,\u201d Roberts told AFL trade radio in October.<\/p>\n McKercher credits his grandfather Alan and his dad Darren for nurturing his love of footy.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were both local players,\u201d McKercher said. \u201cPop played for the Australian amateurs back in the day but both of them love the game and love supporting me.\u201d<\/p>\n McKercher also praised his mother Nicole for keeping him from becoming too focused on the ups and downs of footy during his draft year.<\/p>\n \u201cMy mum has been a really good one on this; she\u2019s really supportive of my football but at the same time her focus really isn\u2019t on that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s more on me as a person. She\u2019s really down to earth and doesn\u2019t really let anything get to my head. She always reassures me that I\u2019m doing well, even if I have a bad game or something, and it\u2019s not just on the footy side.<\/p>\n \u201cShe makes sure I\u2019m not feeling the pressure of everything and the rest of things are going well in my life, like school and that kind of stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n McKercher made his senior debut for Launceston in the Tasmania Football League as a 16-year-old, kicking two classy goals.<\/p>\n \u201cYou learn a lot playing against men, and I took a lot out of that season as I played a few games that year and a few the year after,\u201d McKercher said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt progresses you quickly. You get a bit of a reality shock when you get hit by a 30-year-old bloke. I enjoyed that time a lot.<\/p>\n \u201cI took a lot of confidence out of my whole first season. I knew I could match it with the best Tassie had to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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