EDITORIAL

NAB RISING STAR NOMINEE ROUND EIGHTEEN
Sam Michael - Redland
And he readily admits “it’s been killing me”.
By Peter Blucher
It’s an undeniable fact in football these days that expectation can weigh very heavily on
young shoulders in any and every facet of life. Just ask Redland’s Sam Michael.
The 19-year-old AIS/AFL Academy squad member has carried a monstrous load through
a year he hopes will get him into the AFL at the end of the season.
“Yes, I have felt the pressure,” he said, admitting he hasn’t played as consistently well as he would have liked.
“I want to play in the AFL so badly that it’s hard not to think about it.
“I set myself really high expectations and I haven’t really achieved them … then I
get down on myself and worry even more.”
Michael, who missed selection in the Australia Post Queensland U16 side in 2009,
has come a long way in a short space of time.
After moving to Brisbane last year and enjoying a stellar fi rst season with Redland
that included a standout role with the Australia Post Queensland U18 side and
selection into the 2010 AIS/AFL Academy he went into 2011 as one of the State’s
brightest prospects.
He did pre-season training with the Gold Coast Suns where he relished the chance
to work alongside full-time professionals.
“It was sensational – I loved being able to go over to a Nathan Bock and do some
work with him, or whoever. It was great to be in such an organized program and I
felt I really improved a lot in that short time,” he said.
Later, he toured Europe with the Academy squad alongside Bombers clubmate
Alex Sexton and Morningside’s Brian Coleman-Broome before a mixed campaign
with the Scorpions in the NAB Australian U18 Championships.
He’s seen little club football in such a busy year, and has played just three NEAFL games - for the Suns Reserves against NT
Thunder in Cairns in Round 16, and for Redland against Tuggeranong in Canberra in Round 17 and Mt.Gravatt at Victoria Point
in Round 19.
His effort against Mt.Gravatt last Saturday was outstanding and was rewarded with a nomination for the NAB NEAFL Rising
Star Award (Northern Conference).
Even opposition coach David Lake was impressed with the Bombers’ No.1 ruckman.
“He was absolutely exceptional,” said Lake. “Ryan Head is no slouch and Matty Skubis has a real crack but he (Michael) was
getting around the ground and giving us some real trouble.
“He was mobile, he was willing and he was clean, and he must have taken at least a dozen contested marks.
“I thought he was their best player and if you were an AFL recruiter the tape of his game would be an absolute must see.”
Michael’s game against the Vultures replicated his best afi eld effort for the Scorpions in their breakthrough win over the NT
Thunder in the U18 championships. He played in the ruck that day, too, after spending time in key defence and key forward
roles earlier in the U18 campaign.
NEAFL Football Record Issue18 13th - 14 th August 2011 Page 8