Sam Swadling knows what it’s like to be told he isn’t good enough.
Dropped from West Perth’s under-16s program as a junior, the 19-year-old is now establishing himself at Collingwood after making his AFL debut at the MCG in round 15.
Swadling has quickly made an impression, producing a career-high 32 disposals and a goal and earning a Rising Star nomination in round 23.
But his path from Perth to the AFL has not always been straightforward.
“I can remember being dropped from the futures (under 16s) when I was at West Perth. It obviously wasn’t the best feeling, but I never stopped believing in myself.
“It was around then I developed an ‘everything happens for a reason’ mentality, which I think helped me stay on track to where I am now.”
In his draft year, Swadling averaged 35 disposals across seven games to win the Falcons’ under-19s best and fairest award, including a record-equalling 47-disposal performance.
He also made four league appearances.
Inspired by his brother
Swadling draws inspiration from his younger brother Joel, who lives with cerebral palsy and has represented Western Australia in wheelchair basketball.
“He’s been a huge inspiration to me my whole life. Even back in school, I see how he’s feeling, physically and mentally, and I realise everything I have sometimes I’d take for granted.
“The older I got the more grateful I became for what I have, and it helped me share my experiences with him and help him become happy with who he is as well.”
Joel describes his relationship with his older brother as “special” and says he always knew what Sam was capable of.
“He’s the best guy ever.
“He always helped me out at school or with my basketball. I’m super proud of him and his career and it couldn’t be happening for a better person.”
After Swadling’s first AFL win, Collingwood’s senior players invited Joel into the team song, where he was given the honour of starting the celebration.
A new life in Melbourne
Being drafted by Collingwood also meant leaving his family and friends in Perth and moving across the country to Melbourne.
For Swadling, hearing his name called on draft night brought both relief and excitement.
“[It] was a dream come true and was such a relief because of how much work I put in the whole year, and I guess my whole life.
“For it to be Collingwood as well, I wasn’t even a Pies fan but I made sure to always watch them because you know they get massive crowds every week!
“Playing and training with so many of my idols and superstars of the competition really excited me, and I just want to carry the flame for them and maximise my talents for the club.”
Xander Vinci
Xander Vinci is a second-year student studying a Bachelor of Journalism and Broadcast Media at Edith Cowan University. He entered the writing, reporting and presenting field after falling in love with storytelling from a primary school age. Born and raised in Perth, his work covers a range of local topics, namely sports and politics. He was featured as one of the first writers for inaugural edition of "The Debrief", a collaboration between The West Australian and ECU students.
