Liam Kolar is shooting up the draft boards of several AFL clubs, doing so having played barely any football at all.
Just 18 months ago, Kolar was playing in the twos with St Mary's juniors in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. He had always preferred soccer. And if it wasn't for a few high school mates persuading him to have a kick at lunch, the idea of making the switch to footy would have never crossed his mind.
"For my first year of footy, I still prioritised soccer. I'd go to all of my soccer games and if I had time, I'd also play footy. The year after it was the other way around and I'd prioritise footy. After that, I decided I enjoyed the atmosphere and the competitiveness of footy a bit more," Kolar said.
"I think it suited my attributes a bit more than soccer. I was a centre-back and I was always a bit of a sweeper. That helped me with footy, because when you're playing centre-back you can really see the whole game. It's just easier to learn the game from the back. That learning curve in soccer has definitely helped my footy."