southerncross
24-03-2007, 06:53 AM
New Bulldog Lynch off the mark (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21431477%255E19775,00.html)
ANYONE who has been to Bathurst Island, north of Darwin, would testify to the hundreds of young Aboriginal children who aspire to be AFL footballers.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5425996,00.jpg Up and at 'em: Teenage recruit Malcolm Lynch in action for the Bulldogs during a recent NAB Cup match.
The mostly barefooted children, ranging in age from four to 11, display magic skills in their ramshackle matches. Most of them don't make it to the big time -- Dean Rioli and Michael Long are two exceptions.
But Malcolm Lynch has achieved the dream nurtured by all those hundreds of youngsters.
Lynch, 19 on March 16, was the Western Bulldogs' fourth-round selection in last year's national draft. His journey is a story worth telling.
His odyssey started when he visited an aunt in Sydney when he was 12 or 13. That visit led to a five-year boarding stint at a private school on an indigenous bursary.
Last year Lynch was also part of an indigenous youth team that visited South Africa.
The teenager was injured leading up to last year's under-18 national championships, but still invited to take part in the pre-draft screening camp.
His athletic ability came to the fore when he topped the camp in speed (2.85sec for 20m) and agility of the 110 players tested.
Slightly built at 178cm and 68kg, Lynch's football talents were on display in a recent NAB Cup match when he kicked three goals to help the Dogs beat Sydney in Canberra.
Coach Rodney Eade said 2007 would be a developmental season for Lynch.
"It's going to get more difficult for him each week," Eade said.
"Certainly he won't play Round 1 (against Geelong on April 1), but if he could get a couple of games during the year, it would be fantastic."
Billeted with relations of Bulldogs development coach Jason Mifsud in Burnside, Lynch appreciates he has taken an unusual route to make it to AFL ranks.
"I was one of those kids on Bathurst Island, kicking the footy from dusk to dawn," he said.
"I was lucky that the private school I went to had footy as well as other codes such as soccer and rugby union.
"At the start all that homesickness hit me, but after a while I realised what I had to do to get where I am now. Then going to South Africa last year with an indigenous youth team was an experience to remember."
Lynch finds himself in good company with his sprinting ability, as the Dogs have about 20 players capable of running 20m inside 3sec.
"We're a running side, so I've definitely fitted in well to this sort of side, running all day," he said.
"I've got plenty of time for the gym, so I'm looking forward to stacking on a few kilos."
Keen to continue his studies at Victoria University, Lynch says he has taken on board what's required to play at senior level.
"Just the total work ethic of the players, and how they look after their bodies to get up for each game," he said.
"Also the whole team atmosphere here is pretty good. Everyone is all together."
ANYONE who has been to Bathurst Island, north of Darwin, would testify to the hundreds of young Aboriginal children who aspire to be AFL footballers.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5425996,00.jpg Up and at 'em: Teenage recruit Malcolm Lynch in action for the Bulldogs during a recent NAB Cup match.
The mostly barefooted children, ranging in age from four to 11, display magic skills in their ramshackle matches. Most of them don't make it to the big time -- Dean Rioli and Michael Long are two exceptions.
But Malcolm Lynch has achieved the dream nurtured by all those hundreds of youngsters.
Lynch, 19 on March 16, was the Western Bulldogs' fourth-round selection in last year's national draft. His journey is a story worth telling.
His odyssey started when he visited an aunt in Sydney when he was 12 or 13. That visit led to a five-year boarding stint at a private school on an indigenous bursary.
Last year Lynch was also part of an indigenous youth team that visited South Africa.
The teenager was injured leading up to last year's under-18 national championships, but still invited to take part in the pre-draft screening camp.
His athletic ability came to the fore when he topped the camp in speed (2.85sec for 20m) and agility of the 110 players tested.
Slightly built at 178cm and 68kg, Lynch's football talents were on display in a recent NAB Cup match when he kicked three goals to help the Dogs beat Sydney in Canberra.
Coach Rodney Eade said 2007 would be a developmental season for Lynch.
"It's going to get more difficult for him each week," Eade said.
"Certainly he won't play Round 1 (against Geelong on April 1), but if he could get a couple of games during the year, it would be fantastic."
Billeted with relations of Bulldogs development coach Jason Mifsud in Burnside, Lynch appreciates he has taken an unusual route to make it to AFL ranks.
"I was one of those kids on Bathurst Island, kicking the footy from dusk to dawn," he said.
"I was lucky that the private school I went to had footy as well as other codes such as soccer and rugby union.
"At the start all that homesickness hit me, but after a while I realised what I had to do to get where I am now. Then going to South Africa last year with an indigenous youth team was an experience to remember."
Lynch finds himself in good company with his sprinting ability, as the Dogs have about 20 players capable of running 20m inside 3sec.
"We're a running side, so I've definitely fitted in well to this sort of side, running all day," he said.
"I've got plenty of time for the gym, so I'm looking forward to stacking on a few kilos."
Keen to continue his studies at Victoria University, Lynch says he has taken on board what's required to play at senior level.
"Just the total work ethic of the players, and how they look after their bodies to get up for each game," he said.
"Also the whole team atmosphere here is pretty good. Everyone is all together."