DOB: 22/09/1994
Height: 187cm
Weight: 78kg
Club: Central District/South Australia
Bio: Left-footed medium forward with exceptional goal sense both on the run and with set shots. Kicked nine goals against Tasmania and six goals against NT in sensational fashion in first two games of the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships this year before a groin injury interrupted his season. He starred for the Australian U18 team on the European tour earlier this year. Brother of Geelong's Daniel.
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Upside: Menzel is a highly versatile forward who can comfortably play off a wing, half-back or on the ball. He is exceptional overhead which, along with his agility, makes him a constant threat inside attacking 50. He is a willing, team-oriented worker who has a number of tricks in his bag. His nine-goal haul for SA at this year's national carnival was impressive for the variety of different ways he managed to hit the scoreboard. His kicking has improved a great deal over the past two years and he has been a regular contributor at senior level for SANFL powerhouse Central District.
"He had a few weeks off after he got injured, but he just right away knows where to find the footy and does a couple of special things. I think he'll start up forward and work into the middle at the next level. You don't like to label them, but Stevie Johnson does something similar and Troy's very similar in that he can play a number of roles really well." - SA coach Brenton Phillips.
Downside: The potential downside is an obvious one with Menzel given he had LARS surgery on the knee of his right (non-kicking) leg as a 16-year-old. He hasn't had any issue with the artificial ligament since and consulted with renowned knee specialist, Professor Julian Feller, in October and received a positive prognosis. However, the problems that other players like David Rodan and Nick Malceski have had will be taken into account by clubs when evaluating him.
Plays like: Phillips' comparison to Geelong's Steve Johnson is a good one in that Menzel is also a goalkicker with a knack for making things happen when the ball is in his area.
Draft range: Despite the positive outlook the queries over Menzel's LARS surgery still make him one of the harder prospects to place in the draft order. On talent alone he's probably worthy of a late top 10 pick, but he may last a bit further into the first round on the back of the issue with clubs that have multiple first-round picks like Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood more likely to pounce.
In his own words: "[The doctor] said that the LARS is looking really good, it's looking strong, so there were a lot of positives that came out of that - it was good news. He said if I did do it again then there is the possibility of having the traditional reconstruction or the LARS again. It obviously wouldn't be good to do it again, but it is good news that all the options would be open to me. I've had other doctors look at it and say that it's looking really strong, but it's nice to hear that from him. He said that it doesn't look like there are any issues or any need for any revisions or anything like that."
Stats from NAB AFL U18 Championships:
| Matches | Kicks | Handballs | Marks | Disposals | Disposal efficiency | Contested possessions | Tackles | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 28 | 6 | 16 | 34 | 79.4% | 15 | 5 | 15.1 |
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
