Swans Test Out Young Canucks

January 22, 2006 by Mike McFarlane | View Comments (2)

Two of Canada's young talents were recently given a chance to train with the Sydney Swans while they were in Los Angeles for an exhibition game. They were featured in Australia's The Age.

The article's text:

THE Swans will stretch their international wings beyond Tadgh Kennelly's Ireland this weekend - and not only to Los Angeles, where they will play the Kangaroos in an exhibition game. Two of Canada's most promising young AFL players - Toronto's George Dimacakos (pictured) and Vancouver teenager Scott Fleming - have been invited to spend three days training with the premiers who hit town early on Thursday, LA time. Dimacakos, a 183 centimetre wingman, discovered football only two years ago, and wore Canadian colours at the International Cup in Melbourne last August. He went home willing to give up a university gridiron career to take Australian footy more seriously. Fleming is 15, and considered by AFL Canada president Mike McFarlane the country's star junior prospect. He kicked his first footy a few years ago, in Vancouver, where about 4000 kids last year took part in a school program McFarlane set up and runs. Fleming, a lightly built 188 centimetres, "has some real flair," said McFarlane, and is ready to move to Australia with his family any time a chance comes up. "But of course, someone has to be willing to take a flyer on him." Sydney won't watch the Canadian boys with a direct view to drafting them, though former Swan Tony Morwood, the club's Melbourne manager, watched Dimacakos play in the International Cup, and saw some real potential. "His skills, having played for a year, were quite good," Morwood said. "They're nothing that would stand out if you went to watch our best kids, but I can tell you that his skills are 10 times better than what Tadgh Kennelly's were five years ago. "We don't know whether either boy will develop into anything, but we certainly want a relationship with them. One day, someone from North America will pop up with just a rare talent to be able to pick up the ball and kick it." The Swans adopted Canada after Morwood visited Toronto last year, and helped his fellow red and whites select their national side, the Northwind. There are other connections, too; Canada's coach last year, Greg Everett, is an Australian whose family has long-time links with South Melbourne, while McFarlane is a cousin of Brownlow Medallist Bob Skilton.