South Australia under-18 coach Tony Bamford backs new West Coast Eagle Harry Schoenberg to take second chance

South Australia under-18 coach Tony Bamford backs Harry Schoenberg to bounce back from rejection to grab his opportunity at West Coast with both hands — because he’s seen it before.

Schoenberg will play his first game for the Eagles in their clash against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, having been given a second chance as a mature-age rookie.

The 25-year-old was de-listed by Adelaide after 62 games in six seasons, including only five in the past two years as he fell out of favour under coach Matthew Nicks.

Bamford said Schoenberg had proven in the past that he was able to defy the odds stacked against him after doing it as a teenager.

The Woodville-West Torrens product was initially overlooked for the South Australian State academy program — led by Bamford — in 2019.

Schoenberg not only forced his way into the State team before the carnival but played so well that he was named their player of the championships and in the under-18 All-Australian team, before being drafted by the Crows with pick 24.

“We didn’t pick Harry in the initial State academy for a couple of reasons. He hadn’t at that stage shown us that he was fully committed to the football program, being a country kid ... and he just wasn’t fit enough to be in that program at that stage, given the other players that were in front of him,” Bamford told The West Australian.

“There was no doubt on his ability to play the game, but internally, we thought maybe for him to miss out on something at that stage may be the best wake-up call for him.

“We told him we wouldn’t pick him, but we were going to watch him early in his under-18 year to see if he got to work on his fitness and commitment.

“That was a bit of a shock for Harry at that stage, but to his credit, he came out of the blocks well, committed to a full pre-season with the Eagles as a country kid, which is not easy to do given he has to travel a fair distance from home to train.

“He played out of his skin in the first four or five rounds before we picked the under-18 State squad. To his credit, he played well and forced us to pick him.”

Bamford said Schoenberg’s ability at such a young age to not only deal with the setback but also show maturity to thrive despite it would hold him in good stead as a man.

“In the past, he’s shown he’s got the character to deal with a setback like that,” he said.

“I was happy that he got a second chance at West Coast, and I’ve got no doubt he’s got the resilience and capability to get to work to try to prove the Crows wrong.

“And a fresh start might be good for him as well, being over there in Perth away from the Crows and make him grow up a little bit in a new environment.”

Schoenberg looks set to play a role as a high half-forward who can pinch-hit in the midfield after a strong summer.

He was on track for a debut in the Eagles’ season opener against Gold Coast before he was suspended for striking in the pre-season defeat to the Power.

Late signing Milan Murdock filled the spot and made the most of his opportunity, starring in his first two games and forcing Schoenberg to play in the WAFL.

A hamstring injury to Murdock has given Schoenberg the opportunity to reclaim the spot as one of two inclusions to take on the Crows.

“Harry’s just had his head down, bum up. He’s trained really hard, he’s played a few different roles for us — we’ve played him through midfield, wing and forward,” Eagles coach Andrew McQualter said.

“He’s got some flexibility. He’s played 60 or 70 games of AFL footy already, comes from a strong system in Adelaide, so he’s just a good footballer who works hard.

“He gets a bit angry on the field at times, which I don’t mind as long as it’s directed in the right way, and we think he’ll be a valuable player for us.”

Bamford said he expected Schoenberg would only get better as his confidence grew at his new club.

“It was really clear that his ability to take the ball cleanly in contested situations was the best we had,” he said.

“Initially, that was his weapon, his clean hands inside congestion and then as his confidence grew, we saw him then find holes in congestion and get himself from inside to outside, which we hadn’t seen Harry do as a 16 or 17-year-old.

“Like any player, Harry would just want someone to believe in him and give him a chance, back him in for a while instead of being in for one, out for two type thing. Hopefully, he gets that chance at West Coast.”