South Australian Hombsch joins GWS
Team GWS has announced that 17 year old Jack Hombsch will join the Club in 2011 in a deal which will see him become the first South Australian offered an AFL contract with GWS.
Hombsch, an athletic tall defender, spent most of his youth in Roxby Downs, a mining town located in northern South Australia. He joined Sturt Football Club after catching the eye of football manager Duane Massey at a local school visit three years ago.
In 2008 Hombsch moved to Adelaide to attend boarding school to assist with his development. After gaining state selection for both the Under 16 and Under 18 sides in respective years, he impressed at the national level.
Earlier this year he toured South Africa through the AIS/AFL Academy Program with a number of other GWS signings including Tim Golds, Sam Darley, Dylan Shiel, Tomas Bugg and Adam Treloar.
An extremely versatile player, Hombsch said that he was excited about the move ahead of him and couldn’t wait to get to Sydney.
“To have actually signed an AFL contract is just so surreal. For something I have always dreamed of to actually come true, it’s taking a while to sink in. It’s a very exciting time for me.
“When I was a young kid growing up in Roxby Downs playing AFL one day was of course something you wished for but I really only starting chasing that goal seriously when I moved to Adelaide in 2008.
“I just want to get up there and make the most of the opportunity that I’ve been given. There’s a lot of hard work ahead of me but I just need to focus on trying to establish myself as a consistent player to be successful,” said Hombsch.
Hombsch went on to explain that that he believed signing with GWS was an added bonus.
“I think signing the contract is a huge relief as I don’t have to worry about the draft – it’s done. But more importantly I’ve got a really exciting opportunity to be apart of something from the start.
“I don’t just become an AFL player, I get to be a member of that first ever group to come through GWS. That’s pretty special.
“Working with one of the greatest ever coaches in Sheeds and people like Gubby Allan and Al McConnell just enhances the excitement for me. I can’t wait to get there,” said Hombsch.
Team GWS High Performance Manger Alan McConnell was thrilled Hombsch had committed to GWS.
“He has a very diligent work ethic like a number of country boys. He really likes to ensure that everything he does, he does it well. We certainly know he likes to take a big mark.
“To get picked up out of Roxbury downs is just a great story. There certainly aren’t a lot of AFL footballers coming out of there. He’s done very well.
“Coming from a small country town, I’m sure he’ll have a lot of family and friends as a result that will follow his journey.”
GWS has now signed six of a possible 12 priority under 17 year olds, under the Club’s list concessions.