By RUSSELL BENNETT
WHEN one door closes, another one opens.
Casey Scorpions youngster Jaxon Briggs hoped after last season with the Sandringham Dragons – where he racked up eight tackles or more in three separate games – that he’d be invited back as an over-age player.
The speed machine with tackling ferocity to burn barely had time to wrap his head around the news that he wouldn’t be back in Dragons colours in 2016, when he was speaking with the Scorpions about joining the VFL club for the pre-season.
He has since gone on to play three games so far as the Melbourne VFL affiliate’s 23rd man – including four goals and three tackles earlier this month against a Northern Blues side littered with Carlton-listed players.
After Casey’s 107-point win over the Blues, coach Justin Plapp – who was previously at the Dragons – told the Gazette: “Young Briggsy was really good – he kicked four goals and we got a few out the back. I think he’ll be the type of player where he’ll come in and probably hold his spot – he was probably nearly our 47th picked on the list, which is quite staggering really, but the kid can play.
“He’s got something about him – he has some fantastic speed – and once he understands when to use it, he’ll be a very, very good player for us.”
Briggs, still only 18, admits that knowing when to harness his speed in and out of a contest, and when to hold back is currently his biggest challenge.
But he’s hell-bent on improving that, and every other area of his game, as he keeps his AFL draft dream alive.
Briggs isn’t sure what made the Scorpions give him a chance at VFL, but it’s fair to say his intensity at the contest and his tackling ability had plenty to do with it.
“I only had one year in the TAC Cup so I felt like I had plenty left to prove so I just kept chipping away and worked as hard as I could over the pre-season,” said Briggs, whose home club is Cora Lynn in the Ellinbank and District league.
“It ended up working really well, but I’ve had so much help along the way.
“The coaches at Casey are phenomenal and are hell-bent on making sure every player gets the most out themselves. We’re just privileged to have coaches like them who are so invested in the players.”
Briggs said the alignment between the Melbourne AFL outfit and Casey was incredibly strong, which is a huge benefit to the Scorpions’ developing players.
“The players all have a good relationship and when the Melbourne players come down you just learn so much from them,” he said.
“It’s great having that experience there to learn from.
“They just treat you like their own. They don’t look down on you – they help you wherever you need it.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do what I’ve done without all the help I’ve got.”
Briggs just loves the opportunity to be involved at Casey, both at training and on game-day. If he keeps improving at his current rate, and that fight and desire remains to prove those wrong who thought he was too small to make it, he could be anything.
