CASEY Scorpions defender Alex Silvagni’s first experience with AFL recruiters at the end of 2006 saw him lose his hunger for the sport for an entire year.
But the promising 20-year-old hopes his next taste will be much sweeter.
Silvagni is enjoying a spectacular start to the Victorian Football League (VFL) season that has already seen him claim the scalps of AFL-listed prospects Mitch Thorp, Jay Neagle and Chris Dawes.
The 192-centimetre Pakenham resident has formed a fearsome partnership with fellow backman James Wall.
This combination has been a major factor in the Scorpions conceding the fewest points in the competition through the first seven rounds.
In Silvagni’s previous two seasons at Casey he spent time at both ends of the ground and even pinch hit in the ruck.
“I didn’t mind going up forward, but I prefer staying down back and adjusting to that role and improving,” he said.
“When you’re playing different positions, you have to adjust to them all and go through routines, but I’m suited to the backline.”
Silvagni played most of his junior footy for Haileybury College, winning a premiership in his final year at school in 2005.
Then after a promising debut in the VFL the following year – highlighted by selection in the VFL’s under-23 team – he attended an AFL state screening session.
Essendon, Hawthorn and Carlton all showed interest, but ultimately Silvagni was overlooked in the national, pre-season and rookie drafts.
“I built it up quite a bit, but after nothing came about I just lost interest in footy for a little bit and it didn’t seem that appealing,” he said.
“I suppose I forgot about it and I wasn’t really angry, but I wasn’t too interested after that.
“I wasn’t feeling into it at the start of pre-season (at the end of 2006) and I suppose that showed throughout the year.
“I didn’t have a good year last year.”
While Silvagni was a shock exclusion from the VFL’s initial 36-man state squad for its match with the SANFL at Adelaide Oval on 31 May, he is well and truly back on the radar of talent scouts.
And while Silvagni, whose second cousin is former Carlton great Stephen, could still be a late addition for the clash, he is holding out hope of once again attracting AFL attention.
“It’d be good, but if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, I’ll keep playing at VFL level, but ultimately playing AFL is something I’d like to do,” he said.
“I suppose it’s always on my mind, but I try not to think too much about it.
“I don’t want to build myself up only to get let down again.”
Scorpions coach Greg Hutchison has been impressed with Silvagni and hopes he can maintain his stellar level of play.
“I think he’s done a very, very good job. He’s disciplined, he plays very well on his man one on one, and he and (James Wall) have been really good for us in the key defensive posts,” Hutchison said.
“He’s come a long way. He needs to keep working on a lot of aspects, such as his kicking and decision-making.
“He’s going okay at the moment, but we need to keep him going.”
