New Zealand draft prospect Shem Tatupu with St Kilda ruckman Ben McEvoy. Picture: Sean Garnsworthy/AFL Media Source: Supplied
CHRIS Pelchen and Tony Elshaug stood in the Auckland school ground, astounded by what they saw.
In the past year the St Kilda officials have conducted at least four trips to New Zealand, on a mission to add "multiple" Kiwis to their scholarship program at the end of the year.
"We would expect, or anticipate, that we would have more than one (New Zealand) player at the end of the year," Saints head of football Pelchen said.
It's a bid that in March included a draft combine, testing about 40 New Zealanders for St Kilda's eyes only.
The Saints haven't only been watching junior Australian Rules trial games.
The scouts are in secondary schools, at lunch times and recesses, watching teens play rugby.
The challenge is picking which of them can make the transition to AFL.
Pelchen, who is probably the AFL's chief flag-bearer for Kiwi-AFL talent, was again excited by what he saw on recent trips.
"Even from a young age they are used to running into each other," Pelchen told the Herald Sun.
"Tony (recruiting manager) and I went we went to a few of the bigger schools in Auckland a month ago, he was astounded in the school yard how these big kids were knocking each other over.
"It wasn't just a case of tackling, it was case of putting your mate on the ground.
"We were shaking our heads, thinking 'I wouldn't be able to get up from that'.
"These are boys who are 15 and 16, young men who are 90 to 95kg."
Pelchen was at Hawthorn when the club scouted two New Zealand players, Kurt Heatherley and Shem Tatupu.
Pelchen, who is convinced the pair will play at the highest level, said the duo were only "the tip of the iceberg" in regards to AFL potential.
"We are talking about two boys in a population in excess of two million people who have only just been exposed to AFL football.
"I don't think we can overstate the importance of the Anzac Day game (against Sydney) because it will give profile to AFL football which will then drive an element of intrigue for those who haven't seen it."
The Saints are building their recruiting network in New Zealand.
"We need to be looking at basketball, soccer and other sports," Pelchen said.
"You are looking for an athletic component but, as much as that, a character and psychological component because these boys, like Kurt and Shem, have got a real competitiveness."
"Then, from there, you work on the player specific skills to AFL football."
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