Player Watch #?: Matt "The Swingman" Whitlock!!!!! - selected with Pick 27 in the 2024 ND - Welcome to North Melbourne Matty

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Bloody hell, I’m one of Matt’s biggest fan’s but I don’t like torching our future for a pick in the [emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]’s.

Well, without “torching” we’d end up with [emoji[emoji6][emoji6]] midfielders as they always seem to be the top picks every year.

So we drop from pick [emoji6] to pick [emoji[emoji6][emoji6]] but retain the same number of picks

Not to mention that we clearly rated Matt higher than pick [emoji[emoji6]]


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Not the Kings or McKays: Meet the anti-twin big men who had 16 AFL clubs visit their country home​

By Marc McGowan
November 17, 2024 — 5.00am


The Whitlock twins are not identical, and want you to know they are two different people.

They are strikingly similar enough that recruiters often confused them this year while they starred for the Murray Bushrangers and Victoria Country, but there are subtle differences if you look closely enough.

The Whitlock twins, Jack and Matt, are set to be first-round selections in next week’s AFL draft.

The Whitlock twins, Jack and Matt, are set to be first-round selections in next week’s AFL draft.Credit: Eddie Jim

Jack was born two minutes before Matt, and is two centimetres taller, at almost two metres – or slightly above six-foot-five – but both are set to be first-round picks in Wednesday night’s AFL draft.

If that eventuates, the brothers from Kialla, on Shepparton’s outskirts, will join Harry and Ben McKay (2015) and Max and Ben King (2018) as twins selected at that stage of the draft in the past decade. But that is only how the outside world, including the media, views them.

The Whitlocks’ parents, Angela and Paul, never dressed them the same, made sure they were in different classes at school and did not even mention “twin”, to the extent the boys came home from kinder one day and asked what the word meant.
“We always did two [birthday] cakes, two songs. We’d sing to Jack, then we’d sing to Matt, then the next year, we’d sing to Matt first and then Jack,” Angela told The Age.

“We’re not really into twinning it up. I think a lot of people were trying to figure out with us how twinny they are because they’re so close … but no one in our family refers to them as ‘the twins’. When they started footy again, I said to them, ‘Oh, here we go, you’re going to start getting called the twins’.

“We always kept them in separate classes, so they could have their own thing because otherwise, you hear some kids, and they go, ‘Hi, Jack-and-Matt’ – like it’s one word.”


Stories such as these only perpetuate the issue, but the family does understand the interest and enjoys parts of the experience.

“I guess it’s a bit up and down. It’s good having your brother, or a twin, who goes through everything together [with you], but at the same time, I’m my own person,” Jack said.

Jack and Matt Whitlock, running on Shepparton’s Deakin Reserve, are two of the best key-position prospects in the draft.

Jack and Matt Whitlock, running on Shepparton’s Deakin Reserve, are two of the best key-position prospects in the draft.Credit: Eddie Jim

“I am who I am. We’re not really together – we’re just brothers. We’re not really twins, in some sense, and we’re actually fairly different.”

Matt chimed in at that point: “We’ve always dressed differently. I’ve got the bright boots, and he’s got the darker boots. Mum and Dad raised us as two different individuals.”

The backyard battles​

The Whitlocks’ first and fiercest opponents were each other, on the family’s 80-acre farm, which doubled as a quasi-sports complex.

They spent so much time outside playing sport at home that Jack joked their mum would punish them for misbehaving by locking them inside.

Their 15-year-old brother, Alex, is often handed umpiring duties, but is starting to hit the more serious stage of his own football, although he is more of a “crafty forward” rather than an oversized key-position prospect like his older siblings, Angela said.

We might hear more about Alex in the years to come, too, given he just represented the Goulburn Murray Bushrangers in the under-15 V/Line Cup.

The Whitlocks have old pipes as goalposts at the front of their property, plus a concrete tennis court out the back, along with a basketball court, a wall used for cricket, previously a dedicated soccer area, and plenty of space otherwise to run and kick the Sherrin.

Jack Whitlock fends off a rival during this year’s AFL under-18 championships.

Jack Whitlock fends off a rival during this year’s AFL under-18 championships.Credit: AFL Photos

“It’s not every day you can go in the backyard and have one of the best key-position players in Australia to play against, so it’s very valuable,” Jack said.

“It’s good having someone to go through the same battles, and then also the same wins as you through life. We push each other pretty hard.”

As brothers, the only times they would argue were while debating a foul on the basketball court – where they battled it out one-on-one for hours until it was pitch-black – or if the ball was in or out.

There were also lengthy “markers up” battles, where Angela was almost always the kicker.

“I remember my husband saying, ‘Do we need to get some big booming lights?’,” Angela said. “And I was like, ‘No, if we did that, they’ll never come inside’.”

The Whitlocks played basketball for the Shepparton Gators and represented Victoria Country in that sport as well before giving it up competitively at the start of last year to focus on football.

“I honestly love my basketball, and it was a pretty tough decision for me to stop,” Matt said.

The AFL dream​

The Whitlocks were on recruiters’ radars for years, but both took major strides forward in 2024.

Jack made everyone take notice in the opening round of the Talent League, taking seven marks, kicking 4.4 and racking up 13 score involvements in a towering performance at Tasmania’s expense that illustrated his raw ability and athleticism.

It was enough for AFL academy selectors to rush him into the elite squad – and his game drew rave reviews from the league’s talent ambassador, Kevin Sheehan.

“I was dying to see a 200-centimetre boy [break out],” Sheehan told this masthead ahead of this year’s under-18 championships. “He grabbed that match by the scruff of the neck.”

Jack and Matt Whitlock enjoyed eye-catching seasons for the Murray Bushrangers and Victoria Country.

Jack and Matt Whitlock enjoyed eye-catching seasons for the Murray Bushrangers and Victoria Country.Credit: Eddie Jim

Just as everything was blossoming for Jack, he broke a finger playing for the academy side, sidelining him for six weeks. That injury impacted Matt, too, after he started the year strongly down back, including 11 intercept marks in his first three games.

With his brother and fellow goalkicker Josh Murphy injured, the Bushrangers swung Matt into attack with devastating effect.
Matt kicked bags of five goals twice in his first three matches after the move, and remained up forward for most of the season, while reverting to defence at the under-18 championships.

The switch was reminiscent of the King twins’ 2018 season, when Max’s ACL rupture saw Ben go forward from defence – and that became his position at AFL level.

“I always planned to swing forward in my draft year because, predominantly, I played down back as a bottom-ager. I had talks with Mark Brown, the Bushies coach, about swinging me forward post-champs,” Matt said.

“I wanted to be that key defender/centre half-back in the Country side, but with Jack and Josh going down with injury, I got swung forward a little bit earlier and played some good footy there.”

Matt has no preference on which position he plays, and prides himself on his versatility – which has impressed talent scouts enough that he is viewed as a potential top-20 selection. Jack returned from injury in time for the championships and finished the season strongly for the Bushrangers as well.


All that is left now is where they end up, with 16 of the 18 clubs visiting the family home.

Angela, who taught her boys in physical education at Goulburn Valley Grammar School, is preparing herself for the possibility her two eldest sons will join an interstate club.

The Whitlocks will be in the AFL next year, and they will find out which club in a few days’ time.

The Whitlocks will be in the AFL next year, and they will find out which club in a few days’ time.Credit: Eddie Jim

There was some talk among recruiters during the week that the Giants might try to draft them both, but Matt said he would prefer they ended up at different teams.

“It’d be pretty hard for one club to get both of us,” he said. “If that happens, then that happens, but it’d be good to go somewhere else, and sort of grow as your own person even more.”
 


MATT: VERSATILE ‘SWINGMAN’


While twin brother Jack is slightly taller and slightly higher rated overall, don’t sleep on the younger Whitlock.

When Jack was sidelined earlier in the year due to that finger injury, Matt was swung from defence into the forward line – and had a day out against the Giants Academy team, booting 5.3 from 14 disposals and seven marks.

He ended up kicking 27.20 for the year playing mainly as a forward. But he was also named at full-back in the Coates Talent League team of the year and impressed for Vic Country in the defensive arc.

Recruiters were pleased he had the opportunity to show his wares at the defensive end of the field – and just as stoked he was able to deliver, consistently presenting up at the ball and competing well in the air.

“The plan this pre-season, I wanted to experiment with that forward role – because I feel like I’m a pretty good forward as well – but it was more going to be post-champs because I wanted to be that key back for champs,” Matt says.


“But Jack and Josh Murphy went down for the GWS game, so I got swung forward late and played pretty good there. So now I’m just a bit of a swingman, which I don’t mind as well.”

While Matt is still lightly built and developing his frame, he’s very athletic — his running vertical jump of 90cm at the draft combine ranked sixth overall — while his ball-winning ability has improved this year.

Asked where he thinks he plays his best footy, Matt says: “I can’t really tell at the moment. It’s really wherever the coach wants me, I’m happy to play it.”



Inside ruthless edge of AFL’s new twin king stars… and the clubs that could draft them​


@bjwaterworth
November 13th, 2024 6:06 am
As the world went into lockdown at the start of this decade, the ‘Whitlock Olympics’ went into overdrive on an 80-acre Shepparton family farm.


And the competitive nature of Murray Bushrangers identical twins Jack and Matt Whitlock – first-round prospects for next week’s national AFL draft – reached new heights.


Footy goalposts were set up in the front yard while the basketball ring and tennis court were prepared for a fair working out.

“We’d compete for everything,” Jack Whitlock tells foxfooty.com.au. “We’d run down the road and race each other, then back up to play basketball together.
“Footy, cricket, tennis, anything really – it was pretty much the ‘Whitlock Olympics’.
“We’re just competitive boys.”
The Whitlocks’ aggressiveness derives from a childhood of fierce backyard battles that, more often than not, ended in tears.

“The basketball was intense,” Matt recalls to foxfooty.com.au.



“The fouls … it was getting dark and we could barely see and we’re still out there trying to get the win.”
So wedded to the outdoors, are the brothers, that their mum “as a punishment would lock us indoors at times”, laughs Jack.
He adds: “I just think it’s ingrained in us. Outdoor people, outdoor families.”

AFL’S NEXT TALL TWINS

A ruthless competitive edge and a will to win have formed the foundation of both Jack and Matt Whitlock’s footy journeys, which will next week take a significant step forward when they’re drafted by AFL clubs.
Jack – an athletic 200cm forward-ruck who’s 2cm taller and two minutes older than Matt – is expected to be drafted first. Richmond, according to scouts, is widely expected to consider him first at Picks 10 and 11, with West Coast, Port Adelaide and Fremantle also in the mix.
But Matt – a gun swingman who starred as both a key defender and key forward at various levels this year – isn’t expected to be on the board for much longer, with a club holding a mid to late first-round selection expected to pounce on him. Sydney has been linked to him by rival clubs.


The Whitlock’s could become the third set of key-position Victorian twin prospects to be taken in the first round of the same draft in 10 years, following in the footsteps of the McKay’s in 2015 and the King’s in 2018
“It’s good having one of the best key-position players in the country in the backyard,” Jack says of Matt.

FAMILY FARM LIFE
The brothers’ love of sport and the outdoors originates from their parents, Paul and Angela, who have lived on farms for most of their lives. Their dad is from a dairy farm in Rochester, while their mum’s family is currently looking after sheep … on a farm on the same road as the Whitlock household.
“She’s pretty special,” Matt says of his mum, who was quick to ensure both of her boys followed Hawthorn in the AFL. “She’s probably one of the people I look up to most.
“She’s been so caring for us with the sacrifices she makes. I’ll have to pay her back one day with something special.
“Ever since I was a little kid, all the travel – with Dad as well – in the car a fair bit and then taking me to gym after school, we didn’t get home till about eight o’clock most nights. She’s also working full-time as a teacher at my school all while she’s got three boys in the house, which can be a bit hectic at times.”



Jack describes his dad as “a pretty hard worker”.

“He started his own business a couple of years ago, JMA Automation – got to give that a plug,” Jack says. “He builds robots and does contracting work and stuff for companies around Shepparton, so he’s pretty busy.

“But he’s still travelling around, taking days off work to watch us play and making eggs at nine o’clock at night.”

‘THAT JUST MEANS I’M BETTER’
As for who topped the medal tally at the end of the Whitlock Olympics, the brothers had opposing views.
And it wasn’t the only thing they disagreed on when interviewed by foxfooty.com.au.

Like, who’s the better golfer?

“Oh me,” Jack says. “And he knows it’s me, too.”

Matt says: “He’s been a bit more consistent than me lately, I’ll give him that, but …”

Jack cuts in: “That just means I’m better.”

And as for who’s the better basketballer?

“I’d say me,” Matt says.

Jack quickly suggests “well you’d say you, but I’ll say me”.


Both agree, though, that they were a lethal duo on the same team.

“On the basketball court we worked pretty well in tandem,” Jack says.

“Matt was the point guard, I played on the wing, he’d dribble up and pass to me and I’d go dunk it.”

Matt adds: “I was more the shooter. I’d be on the three-point line and he’d be under the ring doing put-backs. We’d have one play where I’d lob it down to Jack and he reverse-dunked it.”

The Whitlock’s were decent ballers, both representing Vic Country at representative basketball tournaments. They’d wake up at 5am on a Sunday morning to drive three hours to either Geelong or Ballarat for training, finish at 4pm and be back in Shepparton by 7pm.

Matt, in particular, flirted with the idea of pursuing a full-time basketball career.

But both eventually felt a pull towards footy – much to the delight of AFL club recruiters and, soon, AFL fans.
“There was a pretty big moment, especially for me,” Matt says.

“I played basketball for an extra season than Jack and obviously love my basketball a fair bit. But at the end of the day, it sort of got a bit much and you can’t really do both.

“Footy was pretty accommodating and I had a fair bit of passion for footy as well, so I leant towards that.”

Jack adds: “Basketball gets you pretty early, obviously when you’re playing for Vic Country and doing all those trainings, you kind of feel like you’re doing pretty well in basketball. In footy, you don’t really get that opportunity until about Year 9 when we made SSV (School Sport Victoria). That’s probably when I made my choice.”

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
Despite their resemblance, it quickly gets easier to tell the duo apart the more you get to know them.

Matt Whitlock of the AFL Academy. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Matt Whitlock of the AFL Academy. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Jack, by Matt’s own admission, presents with a touch more polish, plus he has more assertiveness when answering questions. He prefers structure and likes to be organised, personified by the fact this year he had a whiteboard at home where “I’d write down what I’m doing each month and each week”. It kept him “accountable to what I wanted to do”.

Matt, rather, is “a bit more easygoing, sort of go with the flow”. He, too, briefly tried to use a whiteboard to plan his days and weeks, but the experiment didn’t last long.

“Now I’m just taking it as easy as it comes,” he says.

It’s maybe why he’s happy to sit in the back seat of the car for all those long road trips … that or his older brother has never really given him an alternative.

“I get the front seat, he gets the back,” Jack says.

“Unfortunately that’s true,” replies Matt. “But the back seat has its pros.
“I do have to sit behind the driver.”

Jack adds: “Yeah I have to put the seat back, I’m too tall.”

While there are differences and disagreements, there’s a strong bond and deep respect between the brothers.
“We certainly do a lot of things together,” Jack says. “From gym to just being at home together.

“If you want to work on a bit of extra craft, we can do that or go to the gym together, learn off each other.”

In fact they’re close to inseparable.

Jack Whitlock of Victoria Country. Picture: [PLAYERCARD]Chris Hyde[/PLAYERCARD]/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
Jack Whitlock of Victoria Country. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

This year, not only did they represent the same three teams – Murray Bushrangers, Vic Country and AFL Academy – they also completed exactly the same subjects at school.

“Biology, General Maths, Psychology, English, PE and then we fast-tracked Geography last year … Maybe it might be good to get drafted somewhere else and separate,” Jack says with a laugh.

Matt adds: “We’re still good friends at the end of the day, but it’s good to get away every now and then!”

JACK: ‘I LOVE THE BIG GAMES’
After a rollercoaster start to his 2024 season – including a finger injury that sidelined him for six weeks – Jack finished his draft year strong.
He thrived with more ruck time against Western Australia during the champs, finishing with 18 disposals, 11 contested possessions, eight score involvements, seven hit-outs and five clearances.
Jack then had a massive second half for Vic Country against Vic Metro in the final champs game to finish with 2.1 from 13 disposals and seven marks (three contested).

“Obviously it being such a big game, I kind of just thrive in those moments and I feel like I just love the big games,” Jack said of his game against Metro.

Jack’s champs set him up for an imposing final six-game stretch with the Bushrangers at Coates League level, which saw him kick 15.11 and average 18.9 disposals and 5.0 marks.

Jack Whitlock of the AFL Academy. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Jack Whitlock of the AFL Academy. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Blessed with great athleticism at 200cm, Whitlock has all the traits to be an exciting key-position player at AFL level. His early draft prospects have been enhanced by an increase in size and strength, which has helped him become a more ominous presence close to goal.
“I love watching the AFL. I like Jamarra (Ugle-Hagan) and his attack – and Jeremy Cameron, his ability to work up the ground, get involved and sometimes help out the backline, I like that. Being a similar build to the King boys, their athleticism is something I admire too,” Jack says.

MATT: VERSATILE ‘SWINGMAN’

While twin brother Jack is slightly taller and slightly higher rated overall, don’t sleep on the younger Whitlock.
When Jack was sidelined earlier in the year due to that finger injury, Matt was swung from defence into the forward line – and had a day out against the Giants Academy team, booting 5.3 from 14 disposals and seven marks.
He ended up kicking 27.20 for the year playing mainly as a forward. But he was also named at full-back in the Coates Talent League team of the year and impressed for Vic Country in the defensive arc.
Recruiters were pleased he had the opportunity to show his wares at the defensive end of the field – and just as stoked he was able to deliver, consistently presenting up at the ball and competing well in the air.
“The plan this pre-season, I wanted to experiment with that forward role – because I feel like I’m a pretty good forward as well – but it was more going to be post-champs because I wanted to be that key back for champs,” Matt says.

Matt Whitlock in action during the 2024 AFL National Draft Combine. Picture: Martin Keep/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
Matt Whitlock in action during the 2024 AFL National Draft Combine. Picture: Martin Keep/AFL Photos/via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images


“But Jack and Josh Murphy went down for the GWS game, so I got swung forward late and played pretty good there. So now I’m just a bit of a swingman, which I don’t mind as well.”
While Matt is still lightly built and developing his frame, he’s very athletic — his running vertical jump of 90cm at the draft combine ranked sixth overall — while his ball-winning ability has improved this year.
Asked where he thinks he plays his best footy, Matt says: “I can’t really tell at the moment. It’s really wherever the coach wants me, I’m happy to play it.”

NEW ‘REALITY’ AWAITS
Both Whitlock’s acknowledge they’ll have to put on size once they land at an AFL club, but insist they’re ready for full-time professional footballer life.
“It’s obviously a step up, but I feel like ‘Browny’ (Murray Bushrangers coach Mark Brown) and all the people at Bushes have put me in good stead after having a pretty big pre-season,” Jack says.

“I’ve got to put on a bit more weight, but I feel like with my strength and my athleticism, I’ll be able to adjust to that. I’m pretty mentally driven and self-motivated ever since I was little, so I’ll be ready for that next step.”

Jack Whitlock and Matt Whitlock during the Telstra AFL National Draft Combine. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Jack Whitlock and Matt Whitlock during the Telstra AFL National Draft Combine. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

So, too, is Matt.
“This is what I’ve wanted to do since I was a little kid, so I’m pretty driven in that sense,” he says.
But are they prepared for the very real prospect of being at different clubs – and possibly living in different states – next year?
“It’s basically the reality,” Jack says. “But even if it wasn’t footy, we’d probably be going to different unis and be separated anyway.”

Matt adds: “Yeah you don’t want to live with your brother your whole life, would you?”
 

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Standing Vertical Jump

1. Gabriel Stumpf (Northern Knights/Warrandyte) – 76cm

2. Jack Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers/Shepparton Bears) – 75cm

3. Floyd Burmeister (GWV Rebels/Redan) – 74cm

4. Bo Allan (Peel Thunder/Halls Head) – 72cm

5. David Colbert (County Dublin/Kilmacud Crokes) – 71cm

6. Jonty Faull (GWV Rebels/Redan) – 71cm

7. Josh Smillie (Eastern Ranges/Park Orchards) – 71cm

8. Matt Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers/Shepparton Bears) – 71cm

9. Charlie West (Woodville-West Torrens/Henley) – 70cm

10. Lucas Camporeale (Glenelg/Brighton) – 69cm

Running Vertical Jump

1. Alix Tauru (Gippsland Power/Warragul Industrials) – 94cm

2. Finn O’Sullivan (Oakleigh Chargers/Koroit) – 93cm

3. Bo Allan (Peel Thunder/Halls Head) – 92cm

4. Lucas Camporeale (Glenelg/Brighton) – 91cm

5. Jack Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers/Shepparton Bears) – 91cm

6. Floyd Burmeister (GWV Rebels/Redan) – 90cm

7. Thomas Sims (Northern Knights/Montmorency) – 90cm

8. Matt Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers/Shepparton Bears) – 90cm

9. Noah Mraz (Dandenong Stingrays/Narre North Foxes) – 88cm


10. Joel Cochran (Sydney Swans Academy/UNSW Bulldogs) – 87cm
 
So the trade aside (I actually think it was a good trade under the circumstances) I wonder why we went for Matt ahead of his brother who was slightly higher rated? Or Shanahan for that matter? Could it be character related? Or does Clarko like versatility that much?

Does the club see him predominantly back or forward?


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
So the trade aside (I actually think it was a good trade under the circumstances) I wonder why we went for Matt ahead of his brother who was slightly higher rated? Or Shanahan for that matter? Could it be character related? Or does Clarko like versatility that much?

Does the club see him predominantly back or forward?


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
That among other things I hope gets answered by Will or Brady.
 
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Just from looking at him I'm getting a Harry Taylor vibe. I hope he's half as good. If he is we will look back at this fondly. It's a ballsy bet... Good luck Matt! We'll be rooting for ya welcome to the roos
THATS who he reminds me of.
Thanks for scratching that brain itch
 

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Player Watch #?: Matt "The Swingman" Whitlock!!!!! - selected with Pick 27 in the 2024 ND - Welcome to North Melbourne Matty

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