Gale on freak injury, growth spurt, senior finals, Mellody and more

Claremont young gun George Gale has opened up on how a long-term injury inspired his remarkable body transformation as he firms as one of WA’s top picks in this year’s AFL National Draft.

The AAMI WA Football State 18s Boys co-captain revealed he’s added around 15kg to his frame in the past couple of years after a freak injury in the form of a broken foot while walking to training in his 16s year.

Fast forward to his draft year and Gale is a force to be reckoned with, earning AFL Under-18s All-Australian honours before breaking into the Tigers’ senior side after the completion of an Alcock Cup-winning campaign with Scotch College.

“I was walking to training and rolled it in a pothole, and it kept me out all year which is lovely,” Gale revealed on the official WAFL podcast Seven Point Play.

“It was actually good looking back at it now, being able to chip away at things I needed to work on in terms of strength and that side of it.

“It was probably a bit of a blessing in disguise, I was able to come back next year in Colts and start pretty well and it’s gone from there.

“It was hard at the time but good since then.”

Gale, the son of former Fremantle and St Kilda player Mark and grandson of Australian golfing great Terry, has made an impressive start to his Sullvan Logistics WAFL career at Claremont.

The first-round AFL Draft prospect featured in their last three games since debuting alongside Colts premiership teammate and fellow Under-18s All-Australian Heath Mellody against Subiaco in Round 19.

The versatile 190cm midfielder had averaged 19 disposals and four marks in his three league appearances, playing mainly on the wing.

He kicked a stunning goal from the pocket on the run against West Coast in just his second game and had an impact in his first taste of senior finals with 20 disposals and three marks in last Saturday’s Qualifying Final victory over Perth at Revo Fitness Stadium.

Gale said seeing other members of the State 18s squad adjust to senior football so well throughout the season had given him plenty of confidence he could do the same.

A dozen members of the State 18s Boys side have debuted this season –  Lucas Robinson and Cam Maynard (South Fremantle), Mellody, Gale and Benji van Rooyen (Claremont), Harper Banfield, Garrison Kenh and Cody Lee (West Coast), Leo Steed (Swan Districts), Frazer Rickson (Subiaco) and Harvey Spawton-Guy and Koby LeCras (West Perth).

“We’ve been lucky this year seeing so many Colts boys exposed to that level,” Gale said.

“You see them perform and think you can probably do a similar thing.

“Obviously it’s a bit of a step up. I think the first game was probably a little bit harder initially.

“It was a bit of a slow start but I feel like I’ve found my feet in the last couple of games and adapted to it a bit more now.”

Gale was full of praise for long-time teammate Mellody, who’s produced a couple of remarkable performances in the past fortnight to firm as a top-five pick.

“It’s been amazing,” Gale said on Mellody’s rise.

“He’s always been such a classy player in my opinion. He’s always sort of had it but, probably similar to me in a way, we were both quite small kids and in 16s it was a bit harder to complete against guys who were more developed.

“I think it’s definitely held him in good stead going into this year.

“His skills are just so elite and his decision making and all of those fundamentals of the game.

“He got his opportunity on-ball (midway through the AFL National Under-18s Championships) and hasn’t looked back ever since.

“He’s playing very well at league level and is rocketing up the draft boards.”

Claremont travel to Mandurah to take on minor premiers Peel Thunder at Lane Group Stadium on Saturday, with the winner going straight into the Sullivan Logistics WAFL Grand Final at Optus Stadium on Sunday, September 20.