Adding to the significance of the announcement is that all three players, Shannon Cox, Brad Dick and Alan Toovey, are from Western Australia.
Cox and Toovey both spent 2006 on the club’s rookie list before earning elevation prior to pre-season training, while Dick is the first of a talented crop of youngsters taken in the 2006 AFL Draft to be selected for the Magpies. Dick was selected with the 44th overall selection, behind Ben Reid, Nathan Brown and Chris Dawes.
Malthouse told the media at the Lexus Centre on Thursday that there’s no question the excitement generated by the selection of three new players is permeating through the club, and that seeing young players get a chance is “one of the great joys of coaching”.
“It’s a great time, because you give them an opportunity to start their career. I can see the joy in their face but also in their parents’ faces”, Malthouse exclaimed.
“It’s an exciting time, it’s fantastic, especially when they try and act not that enthusiastic and they put the old dour face on, and behind your back as they turn around there’s high fives and yelling and screaming, it’s a wonderful time.
“It’s something that Danny Nicholls had last week, it’s something that Pendlebury, Thomas and Iles had last year, and as long as the game is the way it is, where we have the opportunity to play young men, this one of the greatest things that you can be part of.”
Cox, 20, hails from Kojonup, a town about three-and-a-half hours south of Perth. He played for South Fremantle in the WAFL, and is an athletic 191-centimetre player capable of playing a variety of roles.
“Last year he (Cox) was a rookie for us, and did very well and we elevated him, and he’s been in very good form with Williamstown and he played a couple of games with us in the practice matches”, explained Malthouse.
Malthouse then went on to tell an interesting story, of how when he was interviewing Brad Dick prior to drafting him, Brad made some comments that were instrumental in giving Collingwood a greater insight into the hunger and desire fellow indigenous player Shannon Cox had to play AFL football when the two were back in Western Australia during the off-season.
Brad told Malthouse of how Shannon Cox was helping him train really hard to prepare for the draft by getting him out of bed and urging him to work hard in the early mornings.
“You hear this from a kid, and then you realise that Shannon went home and trained to play.”
Toovey was drafted from Claremont and grew up in Frankland, four hours south of Perth. Standing at 189 centimetres, he showed during 2006 for Williamstown and through the 2007 pre-season for the Magpies that he is a hard-running midfielder with plenty of pace and courage.
“Alan is a very conscientious young man who we believe will fill a role in our organisation that perhaps has been missing for a little bit of time”, said Malthouse.
“He’s just got that speed, size, recovery. He’s still got a fair way to go with his skills, but he’s just a terrific kid who puts pressure on the opposition and can play either end.”
18-year-old Dick, from Geraldton and WAFL club East Fremantle, is very lean at this early stage of his career, hovering around the 70-kilogram mark, but is lightning quick and very skilful. Anyone who watched him in action during the pre-season would’ve seen that despite his slight frame he is extremely capable of winning the ball and is very exciting. Malthouse explained why the club is prepared to play him so soon.
“Brad’s just an absolute terrier, he’s a sensational young kid. We’re prepared to take the gamble on this kid, he’s just a natural footballer.”
Friday night’s contest is Collingwood’s first home game of the 2007 season, and the club is expecting the Magpie army to be there in droves to help the boys get over the line.
Malthouse has already conceded deputy vice-captain Ben Johnson won't play after injuring his ankle against West Coast, with the other changes to be confirmed when the line-up is released later on today.
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