West Australian prospect Reuben Ginbey looks set to be a first-round selection at this month’s National Draft.
While the teenager was rewarded as one of 10 prospects invited to the first night of the draft, that status wasn’t always a given for the Dunsborough native.
Having started the year in defence, Ginbey only really began to turn heads after shifting into the midfield where his big body proved a handful, and the youngster himself admits it’s been a “pretty quick rise” to become a highly-touted prospect.
“I guess it was a pretty quick rise and a pretty new thing for me halfway through the year,” Ginbey said on SEN WA Breakfast.
“But it’s been really exciting leading up to it and I’ve just been trying to keep my mind on other things.
“With less than a month away I got an invite to go over (to the draft) which is pretty cool.
“The pressure isn’t building, but the excitement is building definitely.”
Hailing from WA, Ginbey is reportedly in the sights of West Coast who hold picks eight and 12.
While he admits it’d be awesome to stay home and play for the Eagles, Ginbey is willing and ready to make a name for himself with whatever AFL club reads out his name.
“I’d be happy to go anywhere to play AFL footy,” Ginbey said.
“If that’s the Eagles and I get to stay at home that’d be awesome, but if it’s interstate or over east that’d be awesome for me as well.
“To play AFL footy, that’s my dream and yeah hopefully I can put my best foot forward with whatever team I get onto.”
Having been compared to Collingwood dual best and fairest winner Jack Crisp, Ginbey says his strengths are his ability to win contested football and use his athleticism and power around the ground.
“I think my main strength is contested play,” Ginbey explained.
“When I was down back that was just competing one-on-one on a range of different players.
“As a bigger-bodied midfielder, I was good at getting the contested ball over my opponent.
“And my use of my athleticism, over the years I’ve built up a decent tank and then I was naturally quite powerful, so to be able to use my spring and leap (is a strength).”
Ginbey and other potential first-round draftees will hope to have their names read out on the first night of the draft which is set for Monday, November 28.