Jacob Bauer a Redback, a Magpie, a Rooster and now… a Tiger!
If you read the headlines, you’ll see Jacob Bauer was selected in last night’s mid-season draft by Richmond from North Adelaide.
However, the 19-year-old has only played a handful of matches for the Roosters, having grown up in south western Sydney and been part of the QBE Sydney Swans Academy.
The Tigers picked Bauer at 10 for his strong aerial ability and his leg speed, making him a difficult matchup even in elite competition.
Richmond’s national recruiting manager, Matthew Clarke, said Bauer had enormous upside.
“He’s really progressed since the start of the year,” Clarke said. “He trained the whole pre-season as a defender and then got thrown forward in a practice match in a reserves trial and kicked four goals in the second half and took it from there.
“He got his opportunity (in the SANFL) the week after and he’s managed to kick 16 goals in very few games. He’s athletic, he can launch at the ball and take some really good marks, and he’s mobile. He gets up the ground and can get back.”
Clarke said Bauer would bring athleticism to the Tigers’ forward line.
“He can really mark the footy and kick some goals obviously, so we think he’ll add some versatility in that aspect as well. He’s got a bit of size to put on still, he’s still quite lean at the moment at 19.
“We’ll get him over here pretty quickly, and there’s every chance he lines up for us in the VFL in the next week or so.”
Sydney Clubs
On top of the Swans Academy, Bauer played for a few AFL Sydney clubs, each of which he would credit for his rise to the AFL.
Well done Jacob and congrats to the Sydney clubs you’ve played with:
- – Wollondilly Redbacks until U12s
- – Western Suburbs until U17s
- – Inner West Magpies
Jacob Bauer also worked with AFL NSW/ACT as a casual staff member and was an Assistant Coach for Miranda Bombers’ Premiership winning U14s side in 2019.
