- Joined
- Sep 22, 2004
- Posts
- 7,746
- Reaction score
- 1,029
- Location
- Melbourne
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Adelaide Crows
A real Cro joins Adelaide
03 December 2004 Herald Sun
Andrew Capel
THE Crows' new ruck giant, Ivan Maric, has revealed he is using a rival as inspiration to carve out an AFL career.
In an ironic twist, the powerfully built teenager, of Croatian descent, claims Dean Brogan, the No. 1 ruckman for Adelaide's arch rival Port Adelaide, is the player he looks up to and living proof that a successful transition can be made from basketball to Australian football.
"He's proven that it can be done," Maric, Adelaide's fourth pick (No. 40 overall) at the national draft, said.
"After hearing his story and seeing how much he's achieved, I have a lot of confidence in myself."
Brogan became the first person to play in an NBL title (1998 with Adelaide) and AFL premiership (2004 with Port).
The 18-year-old Maric has been playing the game seriously for only two years after spending most of his junior years on the basketball court.
Maric, described as a "brute of a player" at 198cm and 96kg, was a member of Victoria's under-18 basketball side.
It wasn't until his family shifted house three years ago that he realised he had a talent with the oval ball.
"I moved across the road from a footy ground (Keilor) and my mates wanted me to have a kick," Maric said.
"It snowballed from there, I guess."
Nice article on maric
03 December 2004 Herald Sun
Andrew Capel
THE Crows' new ruck giant, Ivan Maric, has revealed he is using a rival as inspiration to carve out an AFL career.
In an ironic twist, the powerfully built teenager, of Croatian descent, claims Dean Brogan, the No. 1 ruckman for Adelaide's arch rival Port Adelaide, is the player he looks up to and living proof that a successful transition can be made from basketball to Australian football.
"He's proven that it can be done," Maric, Adelaide's fourth pick (No. 40 overall) at the national draft, said.
"After hearing his story and seeing how much he's achieved, I have a lot of confidence in myself."
Brogan became the first person to play in an NBL title (1998 with Adelaide) and AFL premiership (2004 with Port).
The 18-year-old Maric has been playing the game seriously for only two years after spending most of his junior years on the basketball court.
Maric, described as a "brute of a player" at 198cm and 96kg, was a member of Victoria's under-18 basketball side.
It wasn't until his family shifted house three years ago that he realised he had a talent with the oval ball.
"I moved across the road from a footy ground (Keilor) and my mates wanted me to have a kick," Maric said.
"It snowballed from there, I guess."
Nice article on maric
