The rise and rise of Josh Weddle
The journey and the driving factor behind Hawthorn's 18th pick, starting at the Templestowe Dockers and ending up at the Hawthorn Football Club
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It was evident even at a very young age that Josh Weddle was destined for elite level sport - more than anything because he was determined to do absolutely everything needed in order to see things play out the way he had planned.
Weddle was an incredibly talented junior sportsman across multiple disciplines including athletics, cross-country, volleyball and basketball, and his athletic talents were evident even before he grew into the body he has now.
Speaking to Hawks Insiders ahead of the commencement of Weddle’s debut season on Hawthorn’s list, junior coach Trent Baldac (Templestowe Dockers U12s) was clear that the one attribute that always stood out, even above his athletic gifts, was Josh’s competitiveness.
“Josh was a competitor, even at training he wanted to win everything. I know he was quite successful athletics, cross-country, and a very good basketballer as well, so everything he did, he wanted to win. At training he wanted to dominate his teammates and then on a Sunday he was definitely in the top group of players in a really talented side.”
Baldac went on to say that despite often playing up an age group and not being one of the bigger kids in the team, Weddle would always identify ways to separate himself from the pack.
“What stood out to us was his agility and his ability to get the ball and just not be caught. His high level of fitness obviously helped… he could get the ball and turn inside or out and run both left and right and into space.”
“Josh wasn't as big as he is now, obviously. He grew late so he wasn't physically bigger than anyone back then - it was just more his running power, his determination, and will-to-win which made him stand out. He was striving to be the best he could be even back then; he was targeting an AFL career when he was 12.”
That determination and competitiveness has carried on through Weddle’s career to date - attributes that define who he is as a person, and as a player. He knew that his best pathway to being drafted would be a combination of NAB League and APS football and he was determined to make that happen, as pointed out by Carey Grammar’s Head of Sport and Activities, Paul Jepson in a chat with Hawks Insiders.
“His family and Josh were keen for him to go to an APS school in his final year because he felt that it was an important competition to play in in order to get drafted. He was already at Oakleigh Chargers but he got some good advice to suggest that he should be playing APS footy, and he approached us at Carey (Grammar) and we were rapt to have him do his final year with us.”
In his draft season Weddle turned out for the Oakleigh Chargers in the NAB League, as well as for Carey Grammar in the APS Competition, with his performances leading to his selection for Vic Metro in the National Championships. Jepson went on to highlight how those performances, and his form at Carey, really set Weddle on his way.
“He played some really good games early on in the season for Carey (and Oakleigh), which put his name up for Vic Metro selection. And then pretty much, the rest was history. So you know, the decision to come to Carey was a good one because he got exposure to the APS competition where all the recruiters come and watch, and as a result his name got pushed up the list, from being a draft maybe to a draft definite.”
Weddle, who was post growth spurt but still undersized at 192cm, was tasked with matchups on the best key forwards in the country (from Harry Lemmey to Aaron Cadman and even the smaller Harry Sheezel).
He proved himself by locking down opponents, but also looking dangerous on the rebound using his speed and power. His versatility was also something that appealed to coaches and recruiter alike, as Jepson went on to mention.
“He's a very capable athlete both from a power and an endurance perspective. His athleticism is probably biggest attribute, and his versatility. He won a game for us against Xavier where we were five goals down at three quarter time against Xavier and we threw him into the midfield he kicked three goals and pretty much won the game.”
His exploits last year saw him named at full back in the All-Australian side at the National Championship, and at centre half-back in the NAB League team of the year - no mean feat for a 192cm former midfielder.
This led to a Draft Combine invitation and ultimately Weddle being selected at pick 18 in the 2022 National Draft - Hawthorn’s second pick of the night.
In an interview with HI, Hawthorn’s Head of Football Rob McCartney stated the Hawks had identified Weddle as someone they rated much higher than the position the club eventually traded up to select him.
“The first nine or 10 in that draft were pretty much a lock and we had them very, very similar but maybe in different order. So he wasn't too far out of that is what I'll tell you … We are definitely seeing the best of that young boy and that decision that we made, and I've got a really strong feeling he's going to be a great player for our football club for a long time.”
Now on an AFL list, Weddle’s next challenge was to get through his first preseason as a Hawthorn listed player, but in true Josh Weddle fashion, he didn’t just get through the preseason, he wanted to ‘win’ it. And ‘win’ it he did.
In an in-depth exclusive chat with HI last month, Hawthorn’s High Performance Manager Peter Burge was effusive in his praise of the Hawks newest recruit, highlighting Weddle’s incredible running power and that previously mentioned competitiveness and determination.
“We did a session, we did four 1km repeats and I thought, ‘Oh look at this young bloke. He's flying.’ Goes out first rep and you think he's probably going to blow up. He's bitten off a bit more than he can chew there, but every rep he was just powering on and he just wanted more.”
“What I saw was an attitude and I thought, ‘Wow, this is impressive.’ And then the results as well. So there was just that hunger in this young guy to work and that's the thing I took away from that, not just the actual running.”
Hawthorn fans might have to wait a little while longer to see Josh Weddle running around on the MCG as he is considered only an outside chance to debut in Round 1 having missed the practice match loss against Collingwood.
But one thing is for sure: whether it is Round 1 against Essendon or Easter Monday against Geelong, Weddle’s time will come.
And when it does his aim will be to win at all costs, and his competitiveness will carry him through.
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