“What would you rate your desire of out ten?”

Without being the magic question at October’s Draft Combine, it is a question that would have emerged in every meeting inside Etihad Stadium, with potential draftees evaluated on what comes out of their mouth in response to this simple but revealing question.
 
By no means are these meetings the be-all and end-all, but they do provide an insight into the psyche of the person behind the player. The answers provided form just one element of the dossier compiled on each potential draftee, along with their body of work on the green stuff across the last year, or two, or in some cases three or four. As well as a mountain of interviews with school teachers, parents, coaches and other people linked to the potential draftee.
 
But back to that question, one that the Gold Coast SUNS used to commence almost all interviews at the Combine – interviews that were undertaken inside a suite in a forward pocket on the second level at Etihad Stadium and attended by more than ten recruiters from across the land, along with senior coach Rodney Eade.
 
What is desire? It is an indicator of how strongly you yearn for or wish to have something. For potential draftees, the question refers to how badly do you want to have a long and distinguished career at AFL level. Has it been a lifelong dream, something that you have wanted for as long as you can remember? Are you willing to put everything you have into fulfilling your dream and then even more? This is what the Gold Coast SUNS recruiting and list management team want to know.
 
Some of the interviewees responded to the question in a swift, matter-of-fact manner, uttering the word ‘ten’ almost instantly. It was clear from their clear and concise response that they have wanted this their whole life and are confident in their ability.

“There would be nothing better than playing 12-plus years at AFL level. It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed about,” answered one subject.
 
“Definitely a ten. It is all I’ve ever wanted. It’s my dream,” quipped another.

Others were less confident, rating their desire a seven or eight. Some were unsure and took time to find an answer. For those who didn’t answer ten, the next question came quick and fast like a return down the line: ‘Why not a ten, remember confidence is not arrogance?”
 
For those who fell into this basket, some had doubt on their ability to make it at the highest level. Others were quietly confident, but humble. It was down to the sports psychologist, Sean Richardson, to unearth the cues and determine the player’s level of determination and desire.

“You rate your desire as a ten, yet your test results from earlier in the year would suggest otherwise. A 13.5 beep test and a 12:10 3km time trial are far from elite for a midfielder at AFL level. How do they show your desire?”

It’s a tough question, but a fair question, and simply part of the interrogation process. It’s clear after a full day of interviews that desire measurements are important. Not many, if any, go through their careers without being faced with adversity. Without a high aptitude to achieve success and an ability to cope with the sometimes brutal side of the game, it is difficult to survive, particularly in a distant state.

“Does he really want it? Or is football just something he does because he is good at it?”

This question was raised on a few occasions from different parts of the room once the interviewee departed the room. Some called a player’s bluff, others, again, suggested the player was being humble, simply talking himself down.
 
One player with phenomenal endurance, but questionable speed and agility, impressed the men inside the suite with a clear indication of his desire. On his own accord, the player had sought out a specialist sprint and running coach to improve his speed and his explosive power through technique, plyometrics and conditioning practices.
 
Before he left the room, recruiting manager Dom Ambrogio, asked him to guarantee a beep test score and a 3km time. Despite leaving the room stunned by his responses, he beat both marks, both of which were high level elite. Desire indicator? Through the roof.
 
After a day sitting amid Scott Clayton and his posse – the men who dictate the future success of the football club – it was crystal clear how important a potential recruit’s desire was to them. After all, they had watched countless games and perused through hours of film on each and every one of these players, what they needed to know was what drove them; what made them want to make it at the highest level.
 
Desire is a hard thing to measure. You can’t assess it in terms of numbers or get a pure gauge of it from how they perform on a football ground. Thus, it is critical to open up the player’s chest and see what drives him to succeed. The game is a struggle, so you must find out who will embrace the struggle and grind through the tough times. They are the players you want on your list.