RooTube EXCLUSIVE: Jack Ziebell Interview

WHEN North Melbourne committed to Jack Ziebell with its first pick in last Saturday's NAB AFL Draft, a preparedness to play above his years would have had some bearing.

In the lead-up to the draft, it seemed that North's plans were built on selecting Ziebell or fellow Murray Bushranger Steele Sidebottom, who was taken by Collingwood at No.11.

Sidebottom's profile swelled after his 10-goal performance in the TAC Cup Grand Final, but Ziebell – a boarder at Melbourne school Caulfield Grammar – excelled in his time at the AIS/AFL Academy and when representing Vic Country at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.

So much so that the AFL's youth and high performance co-ordinator, former North defender Jason McCartney, considered Ziebell as "potentially an AFL captain".

"He marks going back into packs, he smothers, tackles – the whole package – and he just reeks of leadership," he said last month.

And it's also why Murray Bushrangers coach Phil Bunn believes Ziebell will push for senior selection in 2009 – even though he doesn't turn 18 until February.

"[He's] got a hard, strong body and is used to playing against men," he said. "[But] I would have liked to have Jack in our system a little bit longer [but] he went to Caulfield Grammar, so he had school commitments for a large part of the season.

"For Jack to have played TAC Cup for more games would have just extended him a little further. The feedback I get is that the really good quality players tend to dominate the school footy, whereas I think in the TAC Cup, week after week, they probably come up against better quality players on a more regular basis.

"That helps challenge them and improve to a different level. But you certainly can't begrudge the kid those opportunities [at Caulfield]."

Bunn coached Ziebell at under-16 level and again this year, taking over the 18s after Peter Dean joined the Western Bulldogs as an assistant.

He sees that the midfielder's focus sets him apart from other top-10 prospects whose confidence is naturally fuelled by pre-draft performances.

"[He's] a very impressive young man," Bunn said. "A mature sort of a kid, quiet, extremely determined but doesn't show it in an outward way. [He's] just a quality individual.

"Sidebottom, from a football point-of-view, was outstanding. He's still a young kid with a lot to learn and he's got that little bit of larrikin in him, whereas Jack's really focused on what he wants to do."

Ziebell had been linked to the Brisbane Lions at No.7, however, Bunn saw that the slide of West Australian Daniel Rich strengthened North's chances of getting him.

"Richmond (at No.8) had always indicated that (Tyrone) Vickery was on their radar, which sort of left Jack at pick nine and North Melbourne as quite a likely option," he said.

"North were of the opinion that Jack would probably go earlier and then they had their sights on Steele at pick nine.

"In the end, Jack became available so they chose to go with him.

"It goes without saying that clubs were keen on Jack and Steele and the question we get asked of us at many of those meetings is: 'Who would you take first?' That was a tough question because they're both extremely talented kids."