PEEL Thunder youngsters Anthony Morabito and Aaron Black will push their bodies to the limit next week to try and impress AFL clubs one last time ahead of the national draft on November 26.
The pair are two of 75 players invited to the national AFL draft camp which starts at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra this Tuesday and finishes next Friday.
Dashing midfielder Morabito has been touted as a top five selection and is highly rated among football circles with some believing he has the potential to be the number one pick.
The 17-year-old caught the eyes of AFL clubs after impressing in the WA Football League for Thunder at the start of the season.
He then went on to have an outstanding national under-18s carnival representing WA and was selected in the All-Australian team.
With Melbourne having the top two picks, followed by Richmond with pick three then the Dockers fourth, Morabito could be moving interstate.
Uprooting though is nothing new for the wingman.
Originally from Harvey he moved to Mandurah at the start of the year to better his football career.
While all the hype surrounds Morabtio, Black is still pinching himself and cannot believe he has been invited to the national draft camp.
Unlike Morabito and Peel teammates Mitch Brown and Chris Luff who have been invited to attend the WA draft screening session on October 11, Black has never played state football.
From Eaton, where he still lives and works for his parents’ floor covering business, the 18-year-old has a basketball background.
While he started playing football at age seven with the Eaton Junior Football Club, Black has only been at Peel for one year. Beforehand he was running around with the Eaton Boomers in the South West Football League.
It was not only until halfway through this season Black realised he had potential to play AFL when he received the letter in the mail inviting him to the national draft camp.
“I was pretty shocked but it was a good feeling,” he said.
After impressing with the Peel colts the tall key position player made his senior debut in round 20.
He was not dropped and played out the remainder of the season with the league team.
“In (my first game) I played mainly on and off the bench but then in the next couple of games I got more time and got better with each game so it was good experience,” Black said.
One of only two Peel players to be invited to the national draft camp Black said he was not nervous and did not feel any pressure.
“I’ve kept up training and whatever happens happens; hopefully I’ll do well.”
Black said 10 clubs had approached him so far, including both WA clubs, and if he had a choice he would prefer to stay in his home state but he was happy to go anywhere.
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