Johann Wagner working hard on the ropes in Dubai. Photo: Sarah Reed. Source: News Corp Australia
JOHANN Wagner might be more than just, as Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley puts it, "the winner of the prize''.
The inaugural winner of Foxtel's Australian Football reality show The Recruit, Wagner's rookie listing by the Power was viewed by some as little more than a publicity stunt.
But the 24-year-old Port Lincoln product showed in Friday night's intra-club practice match at Alberton Oval that he has some genuine talent and might eventually push for an AFL game.
"He looked really lively, didn't he?,'' Hinkley said after Wagner booted two goals and stood out with his explosive running.
"A couple of times he certainly looked like he can play a bit of football.
"The hard part for him is that he spent most of the summer hoping that he could probably prove to people that he is not just the winner of the prize, that he is actually worthy and capable of doing something and I think tonight he showed a bit of that.''
Wagner, well built at 189cm and 86kg, outran some of his decorated teammates and in one exciting passage of play ran at full speed for about 40 metres to get on the end of a chain of handballs to run into an open goal.
"That's his weapon, his ability to run and get separation from his opponent as a half-forward,'' Hinkley said.
"You can see him playing that position and running up and down the ground and getting away from his opponents quite regularly.''
Wagner, who played under-18s SANFL football for Woodville-West Torrens and two league matches for Central District before signing for The Recruit, is expected to spend his first year on am AFL list refining his game in the SANFL with the Port Magpies.
But Hinkley appears confident that he could eventually push for an AFL spot, despite his unconventional path to the top.
"The SANFL is where he's going to start obviously and he'll try to build his way up into form to give him a chance of being considered for the AFL,'' Hinkley said.
"Each game is going to be a bonus for him and it's just a matter of how much he (can improve).
"He's just settling into AFL football to be honest and has battled with his body at times.
"But just in the past three or four weeks he's started to get control of the intensity we train at and every session having to back it up.
"What he has been able to show is that he's got some real talent and now he's got the opportunity he's got to make the most of it."
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