THIS WEEKS GAMES

OUR GREAT GAME | IAN CALLINAN
THE most asked question in Tasmanian football for the past decade will be answered this
season: how will Ian Callinan go at AFL level?
After 10 years of being overlooked by recruiters
and overshadowed by less credentialed players,
the Adelaide Crows finally took a punt on the skilful
forward-midfielder when he was taken pick 64 in last
year’s rookie draft as a then 27-year-old. Superbly
skilled with an innate instinct to find the goals,
Callinan had been constantly overlooked since being
an under-18 All-Australian in 2000.
Despite the numerous set-backs, including doing
pre-season training with Collingwood, Essendon,
North Melbourne and Richmond to no avail, he
persevered, winning the VFL best and fairest in 2005
while playing for the Devils, before taking his skills
to SANFL club Central District. He has played in four
consecutive flags for the SA Bulldogs, winning the
club best and fairest twice and was best on ground
in last year’s SANFL grand final, kicking four-goals
in the six-point win. Regarded as the best player in
Australia outside the AFL, the Crows finally selected
the small forward-midfielder.
On the opening night of the NAB Cup season
Adelaide coach Neil Craig issued a public apology to
his new recruit: “Even now I’m not sure how far Ian
will go, that will be up to him. But seeing him on the
track, I hate to say it guys, but the recruiters of the
AFL - and we’re in it - have done him a disservice. He
should’ve been in the competition five years ago.”
But, just when his AFL quest was about to be fulfilled,
heartache struck again as he tore the bicep off the
bone in the final practice game, sidelining Callinan
for 10 weeks. Now, after two games in the SANFL, he
is set for his AFL debut, taking on Geelong at Skilled
Stadium tomorrow - one of the oldest debutants in
the modern era.
Callinan said he learned to live with the constant
snub, not dwelling on players picked up who lacked
his natural football ability while he honed his skills in
the lower leagues. He was never given a definitive
reason why he was not selected but believed his
height - at just 172cm - was a factor and the trend
at the time to draft tall, athletes and then try to
turn them into footballers rather than the other
way round. Callinan said: “That is probably the one
thing that has always frustrated me. When I sat
down with Neil to have a coffee, he said to me, ‘Why
haven’t you been on a list?’ That’s something I’ve
never got any feedback on, which has been a little
bit disappointing but that’s the way it goes. I’ve got
no doubt in my mind my height has gone against
me but there are some guys who have been going
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