- Aug 16, 2006
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AFL Draft 2015: Likely cult hero Wylie Buzza pinching himself to be drafted to Geelong
59 minutes ago
Jon RalphHerald Sun
FOUR years ago dreadlocked Queenslander Wylie Buzza wagged school to try out for an AFL schoolboy trial.
It would start a remarkable journey that will see the 197cm forward become an instant cult hero after Geelong this week drafted him at pick 69.
The magnificent Ben Brown-inspired mane, the spectacular name, the laconic Queensland manner: he is the full package.
“Just reading your name on the internet, everyone was saying they are putting me down as a cult hero already,” he told the Herald Sun.
“They are big boots to fill. I don’t want to be the cult hero that is a dud.
“We think (the surname) is Italian but if you met me I am not Italian in any sense of the word.
“I have only ever met one Wylie and he works on a farm out west. I don’t think he would have ever played in the AFL. It’s quite an unusual name.”
The sports-mad rugby league player accompanied a friend on that AFL tryout — with mum’s blessing — and quickly fell in love with the game.
The 19-year-old key forward’s strong contested marking brought him into the draft equation this year, but Thursday night was a long, agonising affair.
“It was a long wait. First the whole year and then draft night and they were screwing around on TV in that first half an hour,’’ he said.
“All that stuff beforehand was making it even worse. My nerves were uncontrollable.
“And then my manager told me two clubs were my chance — North Melbourne and Geelong.
“North Melbourne passed and were out of the draft and then it came to Geelong’s third pick and they read my name out and I lost it.
“I was just crying my eyes out in pure happiness. I just had to pace around the house to understand what was happening.”
Wylie Buzza in action for the All Stars on the MCG on AFL Grand Final day. Picture: Colleen Petch
Stage fright hit when Geelong captain Joel Selwood called to congratulate him on his recruitment.
“I have already made a fool of myself. He asked a question and I completely mucked up the answer,” he said.
“He was probably thinking, ‘What an idiot’, but oh well. I will have to make up for it when I meet him.”
Buzza, who played footy for Mt Gravatt but hails from Gatton — 80km west of Brisbane — admits his footy journey is improbable.
“Rugby league was my main sport but when I was 15 I had a mate who had the idea of taking the day off school to try out for this schoolboy thing.
“I took the day off. Mum knew about it but it was pretty much a wag. They picked me to go to Townsville for five games and I fell in love with the sport.
“As a 16-year-old I took up the game properly. I have probably played about 80 games over four years.”
Wylie Buzza has only been playing footy for four years. Picture: Richard Walker
Buzza has always grown his hair long apart from one ill-advised decision to shave his head at five — “Everyone thought I had leukaemia”.
“Since then I have kept it long. It is long curly hair but it turns into natural dreads if I don’t brush it which is quite often.
“It is a mix of long curly hair and dreads.”
Now comes the hard part — turning a brilliant footy yarn into a sustained AFL career.
“Tom Hawkins has always been my favourite forward and I am lucky enough not only to play with Selwood and Hawkins but go to the Cats in the year Patrick Dangerfield came across,” he said.
“To think I will be their teammate is just unbelievable. (At training) I will probably kick the ball along the ground to them, I will just be so nervous.”
59 minutes ago
Jon RalphHerald Sun
FOUR years ago dreadlocked Queenslander Wylie Buzza wagged school to try out for an AFL schoolboy trial.
It would start a remarkable journey that will see the 197cm forward become an instant cult hero after Geelong this week drafted him at pick 69.
The magnificent Ben Brown-inspired mane, the spectacular name, the laconic Queensland manner: he is the full package.
“Just reading your name on the internet, everyone was saying they are putting me down as a cult hero already,” he told the Herald Sun.
“They are big boots to fill. I don’t want to be the cult hero that is a dud.
“We think (the surname) is Italian but if you met me I am not Italian in any sense of the word.
“I have only ever met one Wylie and he works on a farm out west. I don’t think he would have ever played in the AFL. It’s quite an unusual name.”
The sports-mad rugby league player accompanied a friend on that AFL tryout — with mum’s blessing — and quickly fell in love with the game.
The 19-year-old key forward’s strong contested marking brought him into the draft equation this year, but Thursday night was a long, agonising affair.
“It was a long wait. First the whole year and then draft night and they were screwing around on TV in that first half an hour,’’ he said.
“All that stuff beforehand was making it even worse. My nerves were uncontrollable.
“And then my manager told me two clubs were my chance — North Melbourne and Geelong.
“North Melbourne passed and were out of the draft and then it came to Geelong’s third pick and they read my name out and I lost it.
“I was just crying my eyes out in pure happiness. I just had to pace around the house to understand what was happening.”
Wylie Buzza in action for the All Stars on the MCG on AFL Grand Final day. Picture: Colleen Petch
Stage fright hit when Geelong captain Joel Selwood called to congratulate him on his recruitment.
“I have already made a fool of myself. He asked a question and I completely mucked up the answer,” he said.
“He was probably thinking, ‘What an idiot’, but oh well. I will have to make up for it when I meet him.”
Buzza, who played footy for Mt Gravatt but hails from Gatton — 80km west of Brisbane — admits his footy journey is improbable.
“Rugby league was my main sport but when I was 15 I had a mate who had the idea of taking the day off school to try out for this schoolboy thing.
“I took the day off. Mum knew about it but it was pretty much a wag. They picked me to go to Townsville for five games and I fell in love with the sport.
“As a 16-year-old I took up the game properly. I have probably played about 80 games over four years.”
Wylie Buzza has only been playing footy for four years. Picture: Richard Walker
Buzza has always grown his hair long apart from one ill-advised decision to shave his head at five — “Everyone thought I had leukaemia”.
“Since then I have kept it long. It is long curly hair but it turns into natural dreads if I don’t brush it which is quite often.
“It is a mix of long curly hair and dreads.”
Now comes the hard part — turning a brilliant footy yarn into a sustained AFL career.
“Tom Hawkins has always been my favourite forward and I am lucky enough not only to play with Selwood and Hawkins but go to the Cats in the year Patrick Dangerfield came across,” he said.
“To think I will be their teammate is just unbelievable. (At training) I will probably kick the ball along the ground to them, I will just be so nervous.”
