West Australian draft prospect Denver Grainger-Barras says he took the points when he lined up on potential number one pick Logan McDonald earlier this season.
Speaking on SEN Afternoons on Friday, the key defender from WAFL club Swan Districts, who talent scout Kevin Sheehan has likened to West Coast's Jeremy McGovern, says he went to McDonald to shut him down after the key forward talent had a big first half.
“I tried to not let it get to me too much in the week leading up to the game,” Grainger-Barras said.
“Logan had started the game off amazing. He kicked three goals in the first half, so I was given the job at half-time to play on Logan which I was super excited to get to play on him and do that role for the team.
“We had a pre-season practice match against (McDonald’s WAFL club) Perth, and they were getting stuck into me the whole team very vocally and physically, so I knew it was going to be a challenging match.”
Grainger-Barras, who is tipped by many to be a top five pick in the upcoming draft, said his coaches instructions were clear.
“I was given a really strict role to go and stop Logan, but at the same time to play my game and impact through the air and I feel like I kept that balance really well,” Grainger-Barras said.
“I kept Logan without a goal in the second half and I took some really good marks and some big intercepts in the second half as well.”
The Swans would go on to defeat McDonald’s Perth side by 27 points, with Grainger-Barras ending the match with 16 disposals, eight marks and the points over his fellow draft mate.