Former New Zealand age group basketball captain Kurt Heatherley has made giant strides towards establishing himself as an Australian rules footballer this season.
In 2009, Tauranga-born Heatherley, the national under-14 captain, became the first AFL international scholarship player from New Zealand to be listed with the Hawthorn Football Club. Such has been the Bay of Plenty teenager's progress that he could be elevated to international rookie status next year, giving Heatherley (now 17) the perfect platform to make his AFL debut in 2014.
AFL national talent manager, Kevin Sheehan, was impressed by Heatherley's athleticism after watching the teenager finish second in the 20m sprint in 2.84s, at an AFL draft camp in Melbourne last week.
"Hawthorn have got a beauty, I reckon," Sheehan said. "[National recruiting manager] Graham Wright heads up their recruiting, he's the one that's been brave enough to sign Kurt Heatherley and they're going to have to wait until the end of next year ... [but] I reckon there's one sitting there beautifully that can play in the AFL the year after."
Standing at 195cm and 83kg, Heatherley played a handful of games for the Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup - an under-18 regional competition - towards the end of this season. His talent was evident against more experienced opponents.