PORT ADELAIDE has welcomed two players from its Multicultural and Indigenous Next Generation Academy to pre-season training.
Kai Pudney and Martin Frederick from Japanese and South Sudanese heritage respectively have been actively training with the Power’s main group three days a week.
Port Adelaide’s Director of Academies Stuart Cochrane says it’s a great opportunity for the boys to test themselves against AFL players.
“The boys have spent the whole pre-season working with the playing group,” Cochrane told portadelaidefc.com.au.
“They have been involved in leadership meetings through to weights sessions, and all main
“We threw them in the deep end a little bit but we wanted to see how they compare, and they’ve done a really good job.
“All of the sacrifices they have made as 17-year-olds shows great character, and we hope they are successful in the 2018 draft.”
Pudney and Frederick will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of former NGA member Emmanuel Irra, who was selected by the Power as a Category B Rookie in the 2016 draft.
Having supported the Power as a child, Frederick says it has been amazing to train with the likes of Travis Boak, Robbie Gray, and Ollie Wines.
“To be able to train with players I’ve only seen play on TV has been really exciting,” Frederick said.
“It’s been challenging – getting used to the body contact has been hard.
“But it’s good because it’s just getting us used to what’s going to happen in the future.”
While both players have loved the opportunity of training alongside Port’s playing group, they hope that people from similar backgrounds can be inspired by what they’ve achieved.
“I would love to be a role model for multicultural kids in the future,” Frederick said.
“To show kids of any background that they can make it, would be really special for me.”
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