Considering he was claimed at No. 42 in last December’s NAB AFL Rookie Draft and had not graced an AFL field to that stage, it was a fine effort.
Despite his start - and having had a taste of League football - Magner wanted more. But, upon reflection, his ability to play all but five matches as a ‘nominated rookie’ this year was a genuine tick for both player and club.
“It’s been awesome. If this time last year you’d have told me that I’d played 17 AFL games, I definitely would’ve taken it and probably would’ve told you ‘you’re crazy’,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“Initially I just wanted to play that one game, and then you play one, and you want to play five. So to play the amount of games I have, I’ve been real happy this year.”
But he said a lot of hard work went into making 17 matches happen.
“There was icing and recovery and the extra little bits,” he said.
“I knew I had to play good footy this year, because a lot of mature guys - they don’t have three or four years. They’ve got a year to get the job done. So I did everything that I needed to do.
“I got myself out on the track, and I worked my butt off out there and tried my best to impress the coaching staff. They gave me an opportunity and I grabbed it with both hands in the pre-season and it went from there.”
Dissecting Magner’s year, his first two matches were arguably his best.
He gained 23 disposals and booted two goals against Brisbane Lions at the MCG in round one, and amassed 32 touches against the West Coast Eagles at Patersons Stadium the following week.
After several years of persistence and debuting at 24, Magner was entitled to feel some satisfaction early in his AFL career.
“I felt like it was a bit of reward for effort,” he said.
“I never thought I didn’t have the ability to play at this level. I was always confident in myself that, if I got the opportunity, that I could play at this level.”
Although he started the season as a midfielder, Magner was utilised as a defensive forward - a new role he acknowledged was “difficult” to adapt to early on.
“I’ve played at Sandringham [and in the VFL] for the last six years as a midfielder in the centre square, and I haven’t really moved, to be honest. I’ve done a bit of tagging,” he said.
“Early on, I enjoyed playing as a midfielder, and I actually really enjoyed tagging as well and doing my bit for the team. Then I got moved forward and it was tagging in a way.
“The coaches saw that I could play that position and I was just trying to do my best in that position every week, even though I hadn’t really played forward ever to be honest - not even through juniors.
“I didn’t care what I was doing - as long as I was doing my bit for the team - so if it was up forward or in the midfield or tagging - that was fine.”
Although Magner played just three of the final eight matches of 2012, he didn’t believe the unfamiliarity of playing up forward flirted with his form.
“No, I wouldn’t say it did. I’d prefer to play midfield and I know speaking to the coaches, they think that’s my position,” he said.
“But that was the spot where we needed something, and we needed someone to play a defensive role. I don’t think it flirted with my form at all.
“Each week I played there, I did the job that I needed to do. As far as my form was concerned, I think it dropped away with fatigue and little niggles - that’s why I’m looking forward to this pre-season so much. I can get back on track and have a really good year next year.”
Magner conceded that an ankle and finger injury early in 2012 took a toll in the second half of the season.
“That’s the toughest part about being an AFL player - getting up from week to week, and the physical demand on your body,” he said.
“Early on, I didn’t see it as much. I had a pre-season and I was really excited about the year ahead. But by the end of the year, it was starting to add up - the little niggles and the knocks - and each week it gets that little bit harder.
“Towards the end of the year, I was fatigued and it caught up with me a bit. That’s why I’m looking forward to this pre-season so much, as I can get a whole pre-season under my belt and have a really good year next year.”
Magner was also an emergency on three occasions from round 16, and played the final two rounds with Casey. He was also a substitute during this time. He conceded that the lack of continuity in his game was “tough, to be honest”.
“You’ve got to try and not look at it as a real negative. I spoke to Neeldy about it and they’re super happy with the way I’ve gone about it this year,” he said.
“They said they can’t expect me to be starring every week, so I’m not disappointed with my second half of the year. I wasn’t prepared enough - and missing a bit with the ankle caught up with me in the end.
“It just shows that you need a full pre-season to get through a full AFL season, and it’s really opened my eyes for next year.”
