POWER youngster Travis Boak is yet to poll a vote from the men in yellow, red or green, but that hasn’t stopped club Nostradamus Kane Cornes and his brother Chad from predicting a future Brownlow Medal for the impressive teenager.
Boak, selected by the Power with No. 5 in the 2006 NAB AFL draft, impressed in his debut season at Alberton and has shown no second-year blues in 2008.
Boak’s work ethic and undeniable talent has seen him touted as a 200-game player and future leader, but the modest midfielder simply finds the high praise amusing.
"I probably just had a bit of a laugh when I heard Kane (Cornes) say I’d win a Brownlow," Boak said with a smile.
"I think Chad (Cornes) and Kane have said it a few times and it’s pretty funny. Obviously, it’s something every kid dreams of, but I’m just going out each week to play footy."
That no-nonsense approach saw Boak play 14 games in a “surreal” first season, which included the journey to the game’s biggest stage at just 19.
Boak’s second year in the system has been of stark contrast from a team perspective, but he says the adversity has provided him with an even a greater learning curve.
"Obviously this year has been a little more challenging, but it’s a good test," Boak said.
"Being in the environment last year was exciting and probably a bit surreal. At this time last year, we were coming to the end of the season and looking forward to playing finals, so the weeks ahead are going to be challenging as well.
"Last year was my first year and I learned a lot playing games and also finals, but this year, with the injury and coming to the club in not quite as good a mood as you were last year, I’ve probably learned even more."
Boak, a talented junior cricketer, has battled groin soreness this season, but has managed to build on his initial achievements.
"My form been a bit up and down, but it probably has been better than last year," he said. "I’ve started to get a few more kicks and also started to have a bigger impact on the games.
"My fitness has come a long way since last year and it was something I really wanted to work on."
Boak is now one of the elite runners at the club, behind mentor Kane Cornes.
"Kane is a star player and it’s been really good just seeing how he prepares for a game and what he does to get himself up," Boak said.
"It’s great to learn from someone who plays such consistent footy and also he helps me with my game. He’s given me the confidence to back myself and run with the ball."
The Torquay teenager, who signed a contract extension last season, hopes to become a 10-year player at the club and has a burning desire to return to that last Saturday in September.
"The grand final was a bit of a blur," he said. "The parade and the whole lead-up was a fantastic experience, but I don’t seem to remember too much of the actual game and maybe that’s a good thing.
"That loss [to Geelong] will always burn in your stomach and knowing what happened on grand final day will be there to spur me on for the rest of my career."
