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Lifelong Blue learns to make most of his chances
By Melissa Ryan
August 17, 2005
Adam Bentick has climbed from Carlton's rookie last year to this week earn a Rising Star nomination after a best-on-ground performance against Collingwood on Saturday.
Photo: Jason South
Adam Bentick is determined to make the most of his chances, having already understood the importance of hard work in overcoming life's hurdles.
Two years ago as an 18-year-old he captained the Calder Cannons to one of its many premierships, alongside teammates from then such as Eddie Betts, Jesse D. Smith and Nick Becker, all now with him at Carlton.
Bentick, in making a gracious victory speech — Calder Cannons regional manager Ross Monaghan had given him a few pointers about the niceties of the occasion, as he had prepared captains in other years "just in case we won" — caught the attention of Denis Pagan.
It would prove a help to the midfielder when he was passed over in the national draft, but rookie-listed by Carlton, which saw impressive qualities in the young footballer who was a lifelong Blues supporter.
Elevation to the senior list late last year was the next step, and last Saturday night against Collingwood, having rejoined the senior team in round 18 after a four-game stint this year, he pressed on with not squandering chances that turned his way.
He collected 34 possessions to be named best on ground and earn Carlton's second Rising Star nomination in three weeks, after Kade Simpson.
"Maybe some clubs thought he might not be quick enough but he's very powerful now and pace isn't an issue with him, and he's very strong at the footy," Pagan said.
"We're really pleased with how it turned out. We rookied him. He was captain of the Calder Cannons, and you look back at him, and his grand final speech, you knew he was a quality kid when we were looking at that.
"It really is about doing your apprenticeship, coming in, playing a few games, maybe coming up a bit short and going back and really taking VFL football by the scruff of the neck and really conquering that … Adam's come in this time and from the moment he came in he's grasped it better than he has the previous couple of times."
Last Saturday was only Bentick's 12th game, but it was the most comfortable he had felt at AFL level, surrounded by men such as Anthony Koutoufides and Scott Camporeale, who he had idolised as a youngster watching the Blues dominate the 1995 season and premiership.
Walking into the club to try for a rookie spot, and training with Koutoufides and Camporeale, or seeing Stephen Kernahan wandering the corridors, was just "an amazing feeling", and to learn from them was a privilege he did not take for granted.
"With the encouragement of guys like Nick (Stevens) and Kouta, they make you feel at home out there," Bentick said.
"You've certainly got to make the most of your opportunities. Some people get more than others, and if you don't grab your opportunity, that can be the end of you. Coming off the rookie list and being elevated to the senior list this year was a fantastic opportunity.
"I probably didn't make the most of it at the start of the year and it took me a while to break into the team.
"I played four games through the middle part of the year and I probably lacked a bit of confidence playing in the seniors and let an opportunity slip there as well. I'm just grateful for the chance I've been given by Denis and the match committee at this stage of the year, and I'm just trying to make the most of it."
With a young core of Blues taken late in the national draft, picked in the pre-season draft or rookie-listed now establishing themselves — including Andrew Carrazzo, Brad Fisher, Simpson, Chris Bryan, and Betts, the forward who Bentick and Pagan hope earns a Rising Star nomination in the next two weeks — Bentick hopes to help lift his club back to the glory he once watched from afar.
"There's a lot of tradition associated with this club, and growing up in the 90s, through my teenage years, and seeing the success of the '95 premiership and the greats who played through that era, it would certainly be something that I hope this group of players can bring the club back to that success," he said.
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Bentick will cement his spot this year, don't worry about that
Just as an aside, there is a lovely little article in the herald sun today, sport section.
Talking about a 7 year old boy taking his cousin to school for show and tell, because he was so proud that his cousin had won a footy grand final, albiet a summer one.
So, Adam Bentick obliged, went into school for show and tell and sat there with the kids with his medal around his neck.
I always gain/lose so much more respet for players when i hear about what kind of character they are off-field. In this case, glad to hear Bentick is a top guy.
Really ignited our hardness on the ball in the second half......great stuff.
Will be one of those guys who rarely gets votes etc, parlty because you often don't see who it was that squeezed out that handpass while being tackled by 3-4 guys.
