Past #35: Aaron Black - 50 NM games - 64 goals - traded to Geelong for pick 92 in '16 trade period

[Orange Peanut]

IIRC we were going to take him 5 or 6 spots earlier, but received intelligence that nobody between those two picks was interested in him, so we changed our minds and went for Bastinac first. I think it was WCE who were the ones interested in Basti, so it's not as if a WA team couldn't have got Black.

 

[Roopassion]

There's rumour's doing the rounds today that Cook has said Garry Taylor has/ is about to sign a contract that will see him be at Geelong for his career.

 

[Orange Peanut]

You mean Barry Taylor don't you?

 

[curiousLplater]

Pretty sure also that his gf moved over last year.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Anyone able to read/post the Black article on the Hun/Courier-Mail site?

IN his earlier career, North Melbourne forward Aaron Black had to wear protective suits to guard against deadly toxins.

Black had left school at 17 to serve a flooring apprenticeship in his family's Carpet Call business.

For a few hours a week he trained and played for the Eaton Boomers in a bush league in southwest Western Australia.

Back in 2009 the rangy forward was so far off recruiters' radars that he attracted more interest from US colleges for his basketball skills, than AFL clubs.

When the national under-18 footy championships rolled around, Black was still fighting the daily battle against asbestos and mould.

"I was working with my cousin who I went to school with and we were the same age, so working with him every single day was pretty good," Black said.


Unlike many of his peers, Black wasn't an AFL wannabe; he was a basketballer who had toured the US and, for a while, had entertained offers to play abroad.

But things were about to change dramatically.

On a hunch that he wanted to have a crack in the WAFL, what happened in the next two months still leaves the Kangaroo shaking his head.

Black went on a hot streak in the colts competition and was called up to Peel Thunder seniors for the last three games of the season.

His hauls of six, seven and five goals in the junior league left recruiters wondering who the agile big bloke from the country was.

"It sort of happens every year, but he was one who seemed to come out of nowhere," a recruiter said. "You had to do some work on him pretty quick."

Black's athleticism and speed stood out on the field, in a way that made it look easy for someone who hadn't taken footy seriously.

The 192cm marking target belied his size by scooping balls off the ground easily.

He had a spring-propelled leap and showed clean hands in congestion.

With his ability to compete in the ruck and mark strongly the air, it seemed as if the mobile key position forward had "all the tricks", as one scout put it.

North Melbourne forward coach Brett Allison said one of the 21-year-old's greatest strengths was he could win the ball in several ways.

"He is just a really natural ball-handler," Allison said.

"He doesn't have to have the ball come to him in the air, he's really comfortable at ground level as well. That's a real bonus for players of his size."

Black was the bolter of the 2009 national draft and was slated to go as high as pick No.11 (Jordan Gysberts, Melbourne) or No.12 (Kane Lucas, Carlton).

"I remember getting my first letters from Brisbane and the Kangas and that's when it hit me - that I might have a shot (at AFL) here," Black said.

"I wasn't really playing WAFL (with an eye to getting drafted into AFL) it was just a better competition and I was enjoying my footy, that was all it was.

"But in the last eight weeks of the season it all happened."

North and the Brisbane Lions were among the first clubs to make overtures, sending Black letters and requesting meetings.

Almost every club spoke to him, but eventually it was North which took him with pick No.25, the selection it gained from Hawthorn for trading Josh Gibson.

It's a draft pick that is beginning to pay dividends and is reward for the patience the club showed as Black battled osteitis pubis for most of his first two years at Arden St.

It was a dark chapter as his pubis bone slowly crumbled, in part stemming from a slip at training.

After "cut and release" surgery it would take Black 20 minutes to complete the 10m walk to his bathroom in the middle of the night because of the pain.

"For a while I would have to take 5cm steps to get to the bathroom, just stumbling basically," Black said.

"I would pretty much p--- myself before I could get to the toilet."

There were also times when Black was "unable to walk" after games. Recovery was painfully slow and he questioned his future.

"It messed with my head a bit, because after the surgery it wasn't getting any better because it takes a while and I thought 'this might be it for me, I was pretty down with myself'," Black said.

This season he has blossomed and last weekend he kicked five goals against St Kilda in his 10th senior game.

It signalled Black's arrival as a game-breaker at AFL level and, importantly for North, as a point of difference in its forward-midfield mix.

He has kicked goals in each of his six games this season as a third marking forward and, in terms of match-ups, is already proving a handful for opponents.

Black has worked hard to build up his endurance, helping him to either out-mark, or out-run his man.

"I don't want to be a one-dimensional player, where I have to lead up or have it bombed in (to me)," he said.

"It's seeing who the opponent is and trying to change it up and keep them guessing."

It's an exciting package, especially when you add Majak Daw, for a side criticised as lacking flair."But it had its ups and downs. If we got called out to an established house, we would have to rip up the old mouldy carpet and then you would have things like asbestos tiles to deal with.

"You would have to be in a suit and put all the gear on to make sure you didn't inhale any of it."
Allison said he hadn't seen a more driven athlete in the past 12 months as Black challenged Lachie Hansen and Robbie Tarrant for their spots.

"He's a pretty laid-back country character, but I've seen a massive turnaround this season in his want to play senior football," Allison said.

"Not only was he able to have a full pre-season, you could see he was doing everything he could to match it with those blokes (Hansen and Tarrant) and match up against senior defenders in drills."

In another effort to improve, Black spent the summer watching vision of West Coast's Jack Darling and Fremantle's Chris Mayne, in particular the defensive side of their games.

"Just with their aggression and pressure and attack on the footy. They do a lot of defensive things in a game which I try and emulate," Black said.

Allison said defensive intensity was a barometer of Black's form.

"With Blacky, everything stems from his defensive effort," Allison said.

"It's amazing how many times he ends up with possession of the ball as a result of being involved in getting it back for us, that's the No.1 thing."

 

[ohh_v]

Not surprised. He's probably the perfect replacement for Pav.

 

[Ats2Fishy]

Just heard on SEN that Harry Taylor has pretty much put pen to paper on a long term deal so no doubt Freo will be sniffing around waiting for his contract to expire. I, like most others, see so much upside in Blacky, I really believe he could be a long time KPF for us, gotta keep him

 

[Massive Unit]

Freo can just go and get a rat up 'em!

 

[R00StaR]

We should be offering a new contract with a pay rise right now. His current contract would be very low, so he would have no hesitation in upgrading without having to wait another 12 months.

Yep let him up his value for the rest of the year then come seasons end reward that with a new extended contract.

In a few interviews he's given he's shown to be a very family orientated guy and close to his mates, that loyalty is a good trait. Hopefully it now extends to his club and teammates, but there will definitely be factors there making a return somewhat appealing for him. Obviously Wells had the speculation of returning for many years, so mustve thought long and hard about it, hopefully Daniel can pass on of his thoughts about making this great club your new home.

 

[Kimbo]

He's from freakin' Mandurah, right? How homesick can you get for that place?!

 

[the big lebowski]

Wow shows how far he has come, and highlights he is still relatively inexperienced.

Worst case if he did want to go home, Freo would be forced to pay throu the nose. Fyfe maybe

 

[Cold Gin]

He's from freakin' Mandurah, right? How homesick can you get for that place?!

Really? I have to say, having stayed at Mandurah last year, I really like it!

 

[Mixed Results]

Gee, Earlier in the year they were looking at Petrie and Wells and now Black?!? **** off Freo!

 

[Kimbo]

Really? I have to say, having stayed at Mandurah last year, I really like it!

You must have stayed in a 'cashed up bogan' area, as opposed to just a bogan area I guess.

 

[Kimbo]

Gee, Earlier in the year they were looking at Petrie and Wells and now Black?!? **** off Freo!

Lyon; can't develop players?

 

[Mixed Results]

Lyon; can't develop players?

Well there definitely is no evidence to suggest he can, and the way some of the St Kilda youngsters (particulary Steven and Armitage) have developed since he left is pretty damning.

Will be interesting to see how everyone views him if he leaves Freo as a shell of a team needing a serious rebuild after a few 'almost' years.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

How's about the recruit their own KPP...


They would have to be the worst team at developing talls. McPharlin, Sandi and Pav aside.

They traded for McPharlin, didn't they?

 

[Roopassion]

He's from freakin' Mandurah, right? How homesick can you get for that place?!

He's from bunbury, I live just south of mandurah and it's a better place then bunbury

 

[jacko57]

You mean Barry Taylor don't you?

No, Harry Ablett Jr.

 

[Daz]

Of course they're interested. They'd be interested in about 50 players. Only a concern if Black is interested in them.

 

[Cold Gin]

You must have stayed in a 'cashed up bogan' area, as opposed to just a bogan area I guess.

It's like that, huh?

We stayed at the Sebel for a bit, travelled south, than came back to Seashells (I think that's what it was called.) Maybe we got lucky, but my anti-bogan radar detection alarm barely made a sound!

 

[DarwinRoo]

It's like that, huh?

We stayed at the Sebel for a bit, travelled south, than came back to Seashells (I think that's what it was called.) Maybe we got lucky, but my anti-bogan radar detection alarm barely made a sound!

Seychelles the islands or an actual hotel in WA?

 

[hotham]

I thought Buddy was going to Fremantle.

 

[Ahern2Boof]

Does Black really want to play for a team that kicks 10 goals a game?

 

[big_e]

Seychelles the islands or an actual hotel in WA?

It's a resort!
http://seashells.com.au/resorts/mandurah/overview/
http://seashells.com.au/resorts/mandurah/overview/

Anyway, Mandurah's alright. I once caught crabs in Mandurah....