Athletic Dragon on Track to the Draft
Owen Leonard
He’s 193 centimetres tall.
He can cover 20 metres in 2.93 seconds.
He runs two kilometres in six minutes.
He can play as a key forward or on the wing.
He’s Fraser Rosman, and he epitomises the modern-day footballer.
A game headlined by speed and a strong aerobic capacity, Rosman’s football attributes are shaped by years of athletics training, where he excelled in 800 and 400-metre events.
“I started taking [athletics] seriously from about year 7, when I got to Wesley College,” Rosman told Dragons Media.
“I think that’s where the 20-metre [sprint] comes into play, that burst with the 400, and the 2k [time trial] with the 800-metre style of training, which really helps with that endurance aspect.”
As a year 10, Rosman’s commitment to the athletics track took a back seat.
Instead, he decided to follow his passions.
“That was the year I really had to make the decision of where I wanted to push myself,” he said.
“It was pretty easy to pick footy I think, I had more passion for it.
“At the time I was doing better at running than I was at footy, but I just found myself enjoying training and games a lot more than I was at Athletics.”
The decision was quick to pay off.
Rosman’s talents were recognised with a selection in Vic Metro’s under 16 team, an experience which gave the young Dragon a keen taste of elite-level football.
“It’s not the [AFL], but it’s definitely an insight into the dedication you need to bring towards applying yourself to a club,” he explained.
“I think Metro’s a really good insight for young players to get a vision of what playing in the League might look like.
“When the game’s done, you’re not just packing up and going home.
“You’re reviewing yourself, going with your coach in your allocated area and analysing where you could’ve done better and the areas you went well.”
Rosman’s rise continued the following year with a bottom-age Dragons debut against the Eastern Ranges, claiming a respectable 10 disposals and four marks.
With two games at NAB League level combined with Vic Metro experience and another pre-season, 2020 was presenting as a promising year before the pandemic struck.
Yet in the absence of games, Rosman continues to grow, training with an emphasis on areas he was told to improve in: ground balls, overhead marking, and his goal-kicking routine.
“Having those things and knowing that’s an area to improve has really helped me through this time to keep motivated,” he said.
“I’ve been getting one of my mates down, helping me and throwing bullets at me, and not just the perfect roll, because in a game you can’t predict where the ball’s going to bounce.
“Different ways of simulating where it could happen in a game, that’s where I’ve found myself trying to improve.
“When we get back to football, we’ll see a difference in those areas.”
The impressive athlete’s ability to play in multiple roles has been on display in recent years, but his running strengths are likely best suited to a midfield role on the outside of the contest.
“That’s definitely going to suit my strengths and help me be an asset and a bit of a danger in those areas.
“Potentially later on when I get more a bit more size and a bit more experience in understanding the game more, I think inside mid might be an option as well.”
Away from footy, Rosman is an aspiring carpenter, building his own projects at home and already gaining worksite experience.
With an invite to the draft combine, Rosman’s athleticism will soon be on national display.
The AFL draft is scheduled for December 7.