After a sensational season on the football field, Griffith Swans junior Harry Rowston is looking forward to making his mark when he heads to the AFL Draft Combine that starts on Friday.
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Rowston is one of two Riverina products invited to the draft alongside Osborne's Nick Madden and says he can't wait to get started.
"I'm definitely looking forward to it," Rowston said.
"It's pretty exciting and it should be a fun few days."
Rowston is finishing up his year 12 studies down in Melbourne and has spent the last month or so eagerly preparing for the upcoming few days.
"I'm working with a strength and conditioning coach who has got me on a gym program and also a running program," he said.
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Rowston this week was named in the U18 Boys All-Australian Team following a terrific campaign at the National Championships.
Named on the half-forward flank, Rowston was the only NSW product to earn selection in the team and he said it was exciting to be included in the side.
"It's something that I didn't think I was going to be in," he said.
"But it's definitely very exciting and a great privilege to be in it."
The inclusion in the side follows up on Rowston being crowned as the GWS Giants Academy Player of the Year last month.
After a fantastic year on the field, Rowston said that it was good to see his hard work over the past few seasons result in some good performances.
"It's pretty obvious that I've played some good footy this year," he said.
"But there has been a lot of hard work behind the scenes to make that happen.
"It's just good to see that hard work paying off and helping me play some pretty good footy this year."
Rowston said that his performance this year probably stems back to the start of 2021, with him making a concerted effort to improve his fitness over the past 18 months.
"I think it all started probably pre-season last year," he said.
"I put in a mountain of work then just working on my fitness and stuff like that.
"That's probably gone a very long way to how good I've been playing this year, but it's also been staying back after training and putting in the extra work.
"Getting some extra touches in, whether it's kicking goals or getting ground balls."
His fitness has been Rowston's biggest area of improvement over the past 12 months, with an ability to work harder leading to him being able to impact more contests.
"Fitness has been the biggest improvement," he said.
"Which has helped me get to more contests and get my hands on the ball a bit more.
"That then allows me to use my weapon with my kicking and looking for targets inside 50."
His invitation to the combine was through at least three AFL clubs expressing an interest in picking up the talented midfielder, and although while unable to go into too much detail said there had been a little bit of interest in regards to getting drafted.
"Obviously I can't say too much," he said.
"But I have been having a few discussions with a few clubs, so that has been good."
With him playing against some of the top draft prospects over the past few years, Rowston said he was looking forward to meeting a few of the other combine invitees and getting to know them a little better.
"I'm keen to get into it and going there and meeting a few new people," he said.
"Players that I've played a lot of games against and getting to have a few conversations with them and actually get to know them.
"That's what I'm looking forward to the most."
Rowston is hopeful of putting in a good performance this weekend and said that he has no concerns about where his possible destination could be if he were to be picked up on draft night.
"It doesn't worry me where I go," he said.
"As long as my name is called out on draft night, that's the only thing that concerns me."
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