Luke Hodges seeking Giants AFL career

Hodges, who lives in Winmalee, grew up supporting the Sydney Swans but has been picked for the second year in a row for the GWS Giants Academy.

The academy develops young players in the hopes of turning them into AFL footballers of the future, something Hodges wants to be.

Hodges, 15, plays full-forward, and hopes to make it in the AFL, like fellow Saints Xander Kennedy and Ekkarad Bumrungsil.

At his age, AFL is still a long way off, but Hodges said he was determined to make it to the big league.

‘‘When I was probably about 12 or 13 I started thinking about playing AFL seriously,’’ he said.

‘‘It was pretty cool when I found out I had made the squad last year; it was a good feeling to be picked.’’

Hodges is one of about 500 young players aged between 13 and 19, all vying to make the AFL.

He trains once a week at Blacktown with other academy players, and this week will play a trial game.

At the trial games, officials watch the players to pick an academy squad, something which Hodges said was a bit daunting.

‘‘It is a bit nerve-wracking at times to know the selectors are there, but you get used to it after a few times,’’ he said.

Along with trial games, the young players are also tested in drills.

Hodges said this week he was to be tested on his 20-metre sprint times, his vertical leap and agility.

Hodges said if things did not go to plan and he did not make an AFL team, he had a fallback option in place.

‘‘I will do carpentry if I don’t get picked but playing AFL is pretty much what I want to do,’’ he said.