By Tara Murray
Northern Knights’ Ryan Sturgess had an AFL draft combine experience that was different to most, but it was one that he was still grateful for.
An ankle injury in the Knights’ elimination loss meant surgery following the season and ruled him out of testing at the combine.
Even so, Sturgess was keen to make the most of the combine experience.
“It’s not ideal,” he said. “But it’s great to be here.
“A lot of boys would want the opportunity that I have, I’m just happy to be here. I don’t get the ability to test, but it’s not the be all end all.
“I think it’s about showing my character and using my interviews as a key to show clubs my worth.”
Sturgess, who expects to be right to start full training in early December, said the ankle injury was a disappointing end to what had been a good season. It’s the first football injury that he had suffered.
“I was grateful to play all 21 games and I had a great season,” he said.
“I really enjoyed this year, getting to play with the Northern Knights, and I enjoyed my experience the three years I was down there.
“I was really happy playing at the Knights and going deeper than we did last year.
“I was fortunate enough to play Vic metro, which I was pretty happy about on a personal level.”
Having missed out on playing at the Knights in under-15s, the St Mary’s junior has made the most of every opportunity since.
He said the people at the club hadn’t just turned them into better footballers, but also better people.
Sturgess said the metro experience was one which taught him to make the most of his opportunities.
“As a team we didn’t get the result we wanted to [but] it was so good for me, making so many new friends and being able to challenge myself and better myself as a player and person with elite company.
“The first game wasn’t too good. I initially got dropped for the second game in WA.
“I was pretty down on myself [but] I took it as a positive, it was a chance to work on things.
“Unfortunately Brodie Newman did his hamstring earlier in the week, it gifted me the opportunity to play.
“I thought I played an alright game against Western Australia and it gifted myself the opportunity to play the rest of the games.”
Sturgess has made a name for himself as a defender, who can play on either talls or smalls.
It’s that versatility that is one of his strengths.
This year he also played a bit forward.
“It was a bit new,” he said of playing forward.
“Early in the start of the year, talking to my coach Justin Wenke, I was probably going to do 80 per cent down back and train a bit in the midfield, but that didn’t eventuate.
“Round one came and the opportunity that I was going to go forward and I took that with both hands.”
The Richmond supporter said being drafted later this month would be a dream come true.
“To get that opportunity if it presents itself, I’ll take it with both arms, give everything that i’ve got doing it for myself, but also my family and friends, they’ve been amongst the journey as much as I have.”
