THE NAME James Magner sounds a bit like an action hero.
The thought of James Bond and Magnum P.I. springs to mind.
In many ways, it’s fitting. Magner has an edge to his game. He is as tough as teak. And that’s the way the new Melbourne rookie likes it.
“I love the nitty-gritty stuff and getting in-and-under and feeding the ball out to the outside flashy players,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“That’s generally my job, but I enjoy it, and that’s the way I play.”
The 24 year-old's journey into the AFL is one of perseverance.
Training with St Kilda in the lead-up to the NAB AFL Rookie Draft, Magner couldn’t believe he had finally landed a place on an AFL list after being overlooked for more than five years.
“It’s amazing. I never really thought it was going to happen,” he said.
“For it to happen now, I couldn’t be more excited. It’s definitely amazing.”
In fact, Magner had no idea the Demons would select him.
“I didn’t have any inkling at all,” he said.
“If anything, I thought St Kilda might give me a go, so I didn’t have any inkling that Melbourne was interested at all.
“I’d been training with St Kilda in the hope of something happening anywhere, so it was a good surprise.”
Magner was at home watching the Rookie Draft unfold online when he realised his dream.
“I stopped training with St Kilda [on the weekend before the Rookie Draft] and I was at home with my wife, watching it on the computer screen,” he said.
“We were watching and I said ‘hopefully something happens’ and it did. It was very exciting for her as well.”
Originally from Dandenong Stingrays, Magner carved his career as a midfield/clearance specialist in the VFL, before arriving at Melbourne. But he said it had been a long road from his TAC Cup days.
“It has been slightly frustrating. I started with [Dandenong] Stingrays and nothing happened after that,” he said.
“Then I went down to Frankston in the VFL and played three years there and enjoyed my football. I really liked it down there.
“I moved on and spoke to Sandringham and they were interested to have me and I thought playing with an affiliated team might give me an opportunity to strut my stuff, if you could say.
“The last two years have been great there, apart from the fact that we haven’t really been successful. I just feel that my game has slowly grown over the years and as frustrating as it was, I was always hopeful I would gain an opportunity.”
Although he had missed out on being drafted several times, Magner thought this year was “definitely” his best opportunity of being recruited by an AFL club.
“Now I’ve got the opportunity, I’m not going to leave any stone unturned,” he said.
“I want to achieve my goal of making it onto the main list.
“Hopefully I can play a game and I’ll be doing everything humanly possible to do that. There’s not much time to muck around being 24 years of age, so I’ll be doing everything I can.”
The thought of James Bond and Magnum P.I. springs to mind.
In many ways, it’s fitting. Magner has an edge to his game. He is as tough as teak. And that’s the way the new Melbourne rookie likes it.
“I love the nitty-gritty stuff and getting in-and-under and feeding the ball out to the outside flashy players,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“That’s generally my job, but I enjoy it, and that’s the way I play.”
The 24 year-old's journey into the AFL is one of perseverance.
Training with St Kilda in the lead-up to the NAB AFL Rookie Draft, Magner couldn’t believe he had finally landed a place on an AFL list after being overlooked for more than five years.
“It’s amazing. I never really thought it was going to happen,” he said.
“For it to happen now, I couldn’t be more excited. It’s definitely amazing.”
In fact, Magner had no idea the Demons would select him.
“I didn’t have any inkling at all,” he said.
“If anything, I thought St Kilda might give me a go, so I didn’t have any inkling that Melbourne was interested at all.
“I’d been training with St Kilda in the hope of something happening anywhere, so it was a good surprise.”
Magner was at home watching the Rookie Draft unfold online when he realised his dream.
“I stopped training with St Kilda [on the weekend before the Rookie Draft] and I was at home with my wife, watching it on the computer screen,” he said.
“We were watching and I said ‘hopefully something happens’ and it did. It was very exciting for her as well.”
Originally from Dandenong Stingrays, Magner carved his career as a midfield/clearance specialist in the VFL, before arriving at Melbourne. But he said it had been a long road from his TAC Cup days.
“It has been slightly frustrating. I started with [Dandenong] Stingrays and nothing happened after that,” he said.
“Then I went down to Frankston in the VFL and played three years there and enjoyed my football. I really liked it down there.
“I moved on and spoke to Sandringham and they were interested to have me and I thought playing with an affiliated team might give me an opportunity to strut my stuff, if you could say.
“The last two years have been great there, apart from the fact that we haven’t really been successful. I just feel that my game has slowly grown over the years and as frustrating as it was, I was always hopeful I would gain an opportunity.”
Although he had missed out on being drafted several times, Magner thought this year was “definitely” his best opportunity of being recruited by an AFL club.
“Now I’ve got the opportunity, I’m not going to leave any stone unturned,” he said.
“I want to achieve my goal of making it onto the main list.
“Hopefully I can play a game and I’ll be doing everything humanly possible to do that. There’s not much time to muck around being 24 years of age, so I’ll be doing everything I can.”
