Miller-Lewis selected by Hawthorn in AFL Rookie Draft

DESPITE a tough year due to injury exciting South Fremantle youngster Jermaine Miller-Lewis has been selected in Wednesday’s AFL Rookie Draft by back-to-back premiers Hawthorn.

The 18-year-old originally from Armadale Junior Football Club played one colts match with South Fremantle in 2012 and 19 in 2013 before an injury-ravaged 2014 season.

However, having been in the WA State 16s team in 2012 and then the 18s squad for the National Championships in 2013, he had already shown plenty to suggest that he could make his mark at AFL level.

Despite being a good size at 187cm tall, Miller-Lewis has enormous speed and ability, and as a mid-size forward can be extremely dangerous both in terms of kicking goals and setting up others in the forward-line at ground level, but on the lead or with overhead marking.

However, also defensively his chasing and tackling ability is outstanding so he arrives in the AFL at Hawthorn as someone who could develop into a goalkicking and defensive forward of note.

Miller-Lewis made his first colts appearance for South Fremantle in Round 20, 2012 where he showed a glimpse of his future ability with 10 possessions and two goals as he settled into the Bulldogs team that went on to win the second of back-to-back premierships.

Miller-Lewis then put together a full season with South Fremantle’s colts in 2013 either side of representing WA in the National 18s Championships.

In all, he played 19 games and kicked 21 goals for South Fremantle including booting four goals on two occasions and then being a part of the Bulldogs’ team that only narrowly lost the grand final to Claremont.

However, following the 2013 season Miller-Lewis was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his foot and despite hoping to play some colts football in the second half of 2014, that didn’t eventuate.

He has fully recovered from the injury now, though, and despite missing a full year of football his efforts at the Draft Combine with his physical attributes, and with the football skills he had shown previously Hawthorn pounced on him in the AFL Rookie Draft on Wednesday.

Miller-Lewis joins his three South Fremantle teammates on AFL lists in 2015 with Jarrod Picket (Greater Western Sydney Giants), Jarrod Garlett (Gold Coast Suns) and Billy Frampton (Port Adelaide) having been taken in last week’s National Draft.