Towering Sydney Swans recruit Michael Knoll swapped shooting hoops for leaping for the Sherrin just two years ago and is now a student to the teaching of all-time ruck champion Dean Cox.
The Swans pulled off a surprise move as they snapped up Knoll via their first selection at Monday night’s Mid-Season Rookie Draft, linking the former US college basketballer with Sydney’s high-calibre ruck coach.
Cox played a club-record 290 games for West Coast in the years spanning 2001-2014, retiring with a premiership medal, six All Australian blazers and one Eagles best-and-fairest honour beside his name.
He’s now overseeing Sydney’s midfield contingent alongside former Swans co-captain Brett Kirk, and Knoll struggles to believe Cox is now his coach.
“He’s a legend of the game, he was an unbelievable ruckman and I really look forward to working with him,” Knoll told SwansTV.
“I’ve always been really fortunate to work with some great ruck coaches in Max Bailey and Dean Brogan. I’ve been very fortunate in that sense and I look forward to now working with Dean Cox, developing my game and hopefully helping out Sydney this season.
“Improvement is the number one thing for me. I’m still fresh to the game and I want to see where I can go with my footy, but I also want to push my name forward for AFL selection. I want to prove that I am a competitor and that I can play at the top level.”
Knoll played his first game of Australian rules football in a practice match with Victorian Football League club the Box Hill Hawks in 2017, and he was still running around in Vermont’s reserves side in the Eastern Football League in August last year.
Knoll’s next move was to the South Adelaide Panthers in the South Australian National Football League ahead of season 2019.
His switch to South Adelaide saw him join the same team huddle as Hayden McLean, who signed with Sydney as a rookie under pre-season supplementary list rules, and they again hit the training deck together on Thursday albeit in red and white.
Sydney National Recruiting Manager Simon Dalrymple called out Knoll’s name at Monday night’s draft, and the new Swan says the three days since have made for a time to treasure.
“It’s been an absolute whirlwind,” Knoll said.
“Leading up to the draft I really wasn’t sure where I was going or if I was even going to hear my name at all – and now I’m standing here inside the Sydney Swans rooms. It’s been a great experience. There was a lot of relief and excitement when I heard my name called out. I was with my wife and friends, and my whole family and cousins, and I couldn’t be happier to be here at the Swans.”
