FEW PROSPECTS catch the eye like Glenelg speedster Gabriel Patterson. The flashy forward burst onto the scene last year with 28 goals in 13 games for the Bays, including a haul of seven. Collingwood fans may see him as the one that got away, given his father Stephen fell four games short of granting father-son eligibility. Elder sister Violet was drafted to the Pies in 2024. Gabriel is blazing his own trail, though, having been inducted into the National Academy ahead of his top-age campaign.

We sat down for an interview with Patterson at the recent South Australian preseason testing combine.

>> TOP 5s: South Australia Preseason Testing Combine

PRESEASON Q&A

Q: Gabe, can you give us a quick rundown into your footballing journey?

GP: I grew up playing school footy with my mates at my primary school and enjoyed it quite a bit. So then I got into Plympton, my local footy club and it kind of just took off from there. I was playing some good footy so then got invited out to Glenelg in the Under 13s program, and it’s been kind of linear from there. I was lucky enough to be in the Under 12 state team as an under-ager before COVID, so that probably gave me a bit of confidence. From there I’ve been in the 15s, 16s, and now state 18s.

Q: How has it been for you sitting in the unique position of having your dad and sister both play at the elite level?

GP: It’s good. You get to see the standards and I’ve got plenty of questions at home about the little things, about training standards, eating habits, all that. It’s also a big motivator just to see your sister and what your dad’s done and just be like, you want to do it as well.

Q: Are you a chip off the old block?

GP: I actually don’t know. My mum reckons she was a bit of a sprinter back in the day, so she reckons she gave me the pace. But yeah, I don’t know. My dad doesn’t take too much credit, I reckon.

Q: Are you a Collingwood supporter?

GP: Yeah, I’ve been a big Collingwood fan since a kid. We’ve done well in recent history.

Q: Are you a bit disappointed in a way that you’re not eligible to go to the the Pies?

GP: A little bit, it’s a bit annoying but it’s still cool to have your name out there associated with the Magpies. But you’ve seen in the recent drafts a few boys missed out on father-son, so you can’t be too angry.

Q: Do you tend to watch a lot of footy?

GP: Yeah, on the weekends. I don’t necessarily go to the footy games, but I just love sitting down watching the footy.

Q: Are there any players you’d look up to to try model your game on?

GP: As a Collingwood fan obviously Nick Daicos is a big one. And I love watching Bobby Hill as well, just the excitement of him. I like looking up to Izak Rankine. When I was over with the Crows for the week, it was cool seeing him get there an hour, two hours before everyone else and work his ass off. He was probably a big motivator. And Toby Greene as well, I like to watch him as that medium forward.

Q: How has your preseason been, getting to spend a week at Adelaide and heading to New Zealand with the National Academy?

GP: It’s been surreal. This time last year I was just at Glenelg training, so it’s really cool just to step up and be with some bigger talents and names across [the country]. It’s real good and has helped my development a lot.

Q: You’ve spent a lot of time in the forward half, is the plan to stay there this year or venture up the ground?

GP: In the preseason I’ve worked a lot on getting up high, so I’ll probably still start as a high half forward and that’s what I specialise in, but I’m looking to creep up into the mid and do some damage in there.

Q: What are some of your strengths, and the areas you’re still working on?

GP: I’ll start with the things I’m working on. Kicking [is] a big focus. Just field kicking around the ground, trying to attack the corridor and be dangerous with those sort of kicks, especially getting high up the ground. For strengths, I’d say my goal sense has been something I’ve worked on, and all my ground balls or just little touch as well – handballs and creativity.

Q: What are some of your goals for the year?

GP: [They’re] more team-based. I’d love to win the champs with SA, that’d be real cool. Obviously getting drafted would be a big dream, but I’m just taking it one step at a time so focusing on Round 1 at the moment.

Q: What was it like being part of last year’s title-winning state squad?

GP: It was really cool. I just got to ask them questions during the year and see how they went about it with all the media pressure and all that. They were really good at just being with each other and listening to the coaches and teammates. Also looking at Sam Cumming and Dyson Sharp with how hard they worked, I aspire to be like that.

Q: Is there a teammate we should look out for to have a big year?

GP: I reckon Jacob McNicol has been real good. All his testing was really good and he’s training really well, so look out for him.

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