A basketballer for a long way of his teenage years, Ollie Dempsey returned to footy simplest about a years ago to play with guests.
On Sunday, the 19-twelve months-feeble will extinguish his AFL debut for Geelong against North Melbourne at Blundstone Arena in Hobart.
Dempsey, a level guard on the basketball courtroom, used to be picked up by the Cats at No.15 in the 2021 rookie draft after catching their behold playing college soccer with Melbourne’s Carey Grammar.
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“The reality that Ollie is in our squad speaks to how a long way he is attain in this sort of short field of time,” Geelong coach Chris Scott talked about.
“He used to be undoubtedly … about a years ago, a basketballer.
“He didn’t resolve that he wished to play footy until undoubtedly no longer too prolonged ago and used to be plucked out of, undoubtedly, about a games of feeble boys footy.”
Dempsey, who tricks the scales at beautiful 70kg, has been selected in the half of-forward line in a Geelong side lacking superstar midfielder Patrick Dangerfield (calf) and defender Jack Henry (foot).
He played footy in his early teenage years forward of switching to basketball.
Dempsey has started the twelve months strongly for the Cats in the VFL, kicking three desires in spherical one and 4 desires in spherical three.
“To make spend of the feeble cliche across the basketball gamers and spatial consciousness, it appears to be like to be bask in he is picked up what we’re making an try to originate undoubtedly snappy,” Scott talked about.
“He’s performed neatly at VFL level. He’ll create bodily over time, as all younger gamers originate.
“He doesn’t depend on his energy essentially, he within reason more of an elusive participant. (He has) beautiful abilities for a guy who hasn’t played noteworthy footy, and pretty of X-part about him.”
The Cats luxuriate in recalled former Shaun Higgins to boot to Jake Kolodjashnij as they are trying to bounce assist from a 12-point loss to Hawthorn.
North Melbourne, meanwhile, luxuriate in regained Cam Zurhaar and Tarryn Thomas and enjoy named a debutant of their very have in 19-twelve months-feeble forward Paul Curtis.
The Kangaroos are 1-4 to initiate the twelve months and are coming off a 68-point Appropriate Friday thrashing by the palms of the Western Bulldogs.