Callum Moore
Calder Cannons

Height: 193 cm
Weight: 85 kg
Position: Key position utility
Strengths: Athleticism, contested marking, workrate
Weaknesses: Kicking, football IQ
Player comparison: Tom Lynch (Adelaide)
First year impact: Long-term prospect

Kicking: Below average
Marking: Elite
Endurance: Average
Speed: Above average

Statistics:
Calder Cannons (TAC Cup) – seven games, 9.3 kicks, 4.3 handballs, 13.6 disposals, 56.8 per cent efficiency, 3.8 marks, 1.6 tackles, 1.6 goals

Vic Metro (under 18 championships) – four games, 6.5 kicks, 1.8 handballs, 8.3 disposals, 58.8 efficiency, 4 marks, 1.3 tackles, 1 goal

A talented junior basketballer, Moore only played five TAC Cup games in his underage year in 2014 after a late call up to the Cannons squad from the EDFL, but that was enough to have the Swans come calling prior to the rookie draft. Though they ultimately chose others in that draft, the sheer fact that the beaten grand finalists of that year were very keen on the young man gives an indication of the potential that AFL clubs see in the 193-centimetre tall that moves like a midfielder.

His sheer athleticism is truly something to behold in a big man, with his pace across the ground making him a handful for opposition big men, and his size proving a serious obstacle for smalls when he is shifted onto the ball. When combined with his genuinely spectacular contested marking ability and unearthly leap, Moore projects as a genuinely exciting prospect as a lead-up forward or a marking target across half forward and through the middle, with the ability to be dangerous as a third man up in ruck contests around the ground.

What is holding him back from being able to play early in his career is his low football IQ. Not surprisingly for a young bloke who didn’t concentrate solely on football until comparatively late, and one who has yet to settle into a particular role, his leading patterns and movement off the ball need work. His attack on the ball at this point in time is heavily weighted toward a ‘see ball, get ball’ approach, and more than you would like it results in him leading his man to a contest where he might be better off creating space.

The elephant in the room however is his kicking. Whilst it is generally acceptable, Moore is also capable of the kind of drop punt that would make Levi Casboult blush, as a couple of shots at goal in the heartstopping win for Vic Metro over SA illustrated, and that area of his game needs a drastic overhaul. The good news however is that it appears to be mechanical rather than mental, and the raw talent is there, so it is something a club will be willing to work with him on.

In a lot of ways, Moore’s breathtaking athleticism, great hands and sometimes atrocious kicking brings to mind former Adelaide cult hero Nick Gill, and should he be luckier with injuries, there is no reason to suggest that Moore can’t also make it in the AFL.