ENROLMENTS for the 2009-2010 Mark Williams' kicking school have opened and new Port Adelaide recruit, John Butcher, is top of the premiership coach’s hit list.
Butcher, 18, was touted as a potential No.1 draft pick last year, but concerns over his goalkicking saw him slip through to the Power’s first selection at No.8.
The strong-marking Victorian, widely regarded as the best forward in the draft, was the subject of much scrutiny in 2009.
His return of 1.7 and two out of bounds on the full in the league grand final for local club Maffra stuck in the mind of some recruiters.
But Butcher said his NAB AFL U18 Championship and TAC Cup statistics of 52.38 painted a more accurate picture of his efforts in front of the big sticks.
“I’ve got an indifferent ball drop, but the statistics probably show up a little bit better than what people made out this year,” Butcher said after arriving at Alberton for the first time on Monday.
“I don’t think my kicking is too much of a problem. Even just training six or seven days a week [compared to one] is going to improve my kicking a lot. I haven’t really had a pre-season over the last two years, so I’ll be looking to get in plenty of practice.
“I hear Choco [Williams] runs a little kicking school too, so I’m sure that will help me out and there are plenty of boys here that can guide me through a few things.”
Williams offered Butcher some kicking tips at last month’s NAB AFL Draft Camp in Canberra and emerged quietly confident he could refine the strapping 197cm teenager’s technique.
Williams has enjoyed similar success with four-time All-Australian and former Power skipper Warren Tredrea.
Tredrea, 30, struggled with the yips in front of goal early in his career, but has since transformed himself into a reliable set shot having converted 51 of his 78 opportunities this year.
Butcher said he would use Tredrea as a model for his own game.
“Warren is a legend of this club. Even on the first day here I’ve seen how hard he trains and how dedicated he is,” Butcher said.
“Hopefully, I can learn a few things off him and if I can be half as good as him in the next few years I’ll be pretty happy.”
Butcher was drafted as a potential replacement for Tredrea, who is entering what he expects to be his last season in the game.
But Port Adelaide fans might have to wait a while to see the club’s hottest new recruit on the big stage.
“I’m just looking short-term at the moment,” Butcher said.
“In the four weeks before Christmas I’ll be head down bum up and getting stuck into some training. I’ve got plenty of development to do and I think if I played a game next year I’d be very happy…it would be a bonus.”
The Power could have another key forward in their midst come December, with forgotten man Matthew Panos invited out to train with the club ahead of the NAB AFL Rookie Draft.
Panos, 18, received All-Australian honours at the U18 Championships in June but was surprisingly overlooked in last week’s draft.
