AFL Draft pick returns home to Sawtell

COLLINGWOOD Magpies draft pick Angus Anderson made a return to his old stomping ground after having a year he will never forget.

The former Sawtell/Toormina Saints player visited his old home ground of Richardson Park, a place where he enjoyed the formative years of his footy career.

There he met an eager group of Sawtell/Toormina Saints juniors, who he put through their paces in a skills session before answering their questions and signing autographs.

He imparted an important piece of advice to the Saints juniors.

“Play footy because you love it, don’t play it just because your parents or mates do it, play it because you genuinely love it yourself,” he said.

The inside midfielder was taken at pick number 57 by the Collingwood Magpies in the 2025 AFL Draft, becoming the first Coffs Coast and AFL North Coast male player to be drafted by an AFL club.

His historic draft selection capped off a breakout year playing in South Australia, in which he was named in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Team of the Year, and was awarded best on ground in the Sturt Blues premiership victory.

The 22-year-old described the emotion of being drafted as a mature age player after not being initially selected when he was younger.

“Your heart’s racing, you’re opening your mouth and nothing’s coming out, you’re just full of joy,” he said.

“Not being drafted at 18 gave me motivation, at the time you kind of feel like your world’s over, pouring all your time and effort into something that doesn’t go your way.

“You kind of have to step back and realise that life isn’t all about footy, and I was grateful enough that footy stuck around for a little bit longer, and that I’m in the position I am now.”

Anderson hopes to be seen as an inspiration for any Coffs Coast junior who have their own AFL aspirations.

“I hope so, especially as a North Coast male player to get drafted, it’s a big thing, especially being from Sawtell,” he said.

“And If I can inspire one guy to play that extra year longer and take a chance whether that’s moving to Sydney, because it’s always hard geographically being from Sawtell and having to travel up and down the highway, I’m sure some of the guys are experiencing it now, but if you stick at it and the persistence pays off, everyone’s got a great story and the AFL clubs love a great story.”

By Aiden BURGESS