OLD MENTONIANS YOUNGSTER DRAFTED BY CATS

Mitch played at Centre Half Forward for the Panthers’ Under 19 team in the first half of this season, before being recruited by the Sandringham Dragons after earlier missing out on the initial squad.
Despite only playing 6 games for the season, Mitch was the team’s leading goal kicker. Mitch’s selection by Geelong  has been a fantastic effort, as he also played for Mentone Grammar during the year and undertook Year 12 studies.
Some considered him a smokey to the Sydney Swans at pick 12. But the Cats had done their reconnaissance well, with no-one having linked the club to the late-bloomer.

Nathan Ablett’s premature retirement forced the Cats’ hand to some degree; Geelong recruiting staff – headed by Stephen Wells – seeing a heap of potential in the youngster who two years ago couldn’t get a look-in at his TAC Cup club.
At 195cm, the 18-year-old towers over the boy he was a little more than a year ago.
To see footage of Mitch in action at Sportscover Arena in the annual  APS v AGS match please go to the following link at the AFL website and go to your right hand corner and click on draft tracker http://www.afl.com.au/. Click on the camera icon next to Mitch’s name.