An Allies national championship win and Tasmania Devils minor premiership run has resulted in Colby McKercher's most enjoyable year of football.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The 18-year-old draft prospect, who is expected to be selected in the top five, also won the Morrish Medal for the Coates Talent League's best player in a superb season.
"I reckon this is the most fun I've had playing footy ever, this season," he said.
"The Allies and the Devils, we were pretty successful and when you're winning games it's always fun, so I enjoyed my time very much.
"I was really consistent throughout most of the year and I put in some really good performances as well.
"During the national champs, I really tried to put in some good performances and I felt as if I did that."
![Launceston's Colby McKercher is one of the draft pool's top midfielders. Picture by Paul Scambler Launceston's Colby McKercher is one of the draft pool's top midfielders. Picture by Paul Scambler](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/1d3f0fe1-ccb7-49fd-a299-937497a5c2af.jpg/r697_257_8036_4917_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Throughout the national championships, McKercher averaged 33 disposals per game, kicking at 73.8 per cent efficiency.
The Launceston midfielder's performance against Western Australia was the standout, collecting 40 touches at 82.5 per cent efficiency, 12 uncontested marks and seven inside-50s.
That was not his highest disposal count for the year however, amassing 41 disposals against the Oakleigh Chargers in the Talent League, kicking two goals and having 12 marks in the round-13 win.
Despite the impressive showings, the former Kings Meadows High School student had a far from ideal end to his season, suffering a foot injury in August.
He was able to get back out on the park for for the Devils' preliminary final but did not take part in physical testing at the draft combine last month.
"I was just a little bit underdone and wasn't quite ready to give my all," he said.
"I'm in a big training block at the moment and just really trying to get myself preparing for an AFL club and everything's going well so far."
McKercher described the interview process of the combine as "tense but also quite fun" as "about 10 clubs" put him through his paces in the meeting rooms.
"It was different to the at-home visits, they asked some more serious questions, which was good to get past the get-to-know-you phase," he said.
"I probably talked to about 10 clubs and I think it's good because they only request the people that they are looking to draft so you get a bit of a gauge of who might want to draft you.
"[James Leake] had all 18, so it shows how high in demand he is at the moment."
Earlier this week, the Herald Sun released the list of players to have already nominated for the draft, which takes place on November 20-21. McKercher was one of the top prospects yet to nominate, with the deadline on November 13.
At the time of publication, 10 Tasmanians had put their names forward, including Launceston teammates Arie Schoenmaker and Tiernan McCormack.
North Launceston's Heath Ollington, former Hawthorn Hawk Jackson Callow, Jack Dolliver, Max Mapley, Logan Elphinstone, Beau Nash, Geordie Payne and Fraser Turner were the other players to have nominated.