“It’s often left to [clubs] to do the education piece of those year groups and by the time they get to year 10, it can sometimes be too late,” he said. “But we made a pointed [effort] to spend time and energy developing the program at that young year level.”
Rowell and Anderson both made history in 2019 as the first players ever picked at No.1 and No.2 from the same school in the national draft.
Matt Rowell in action for Carey in 2019.Credit: Justin McManus
Joslin said the pair were like “chalk and cheese” but were both brilliant footballers.
“They both applied themselves throughout their schooling, but always knew deep down that footy was the path that they were going to take,” he said.
“They were first on the training track and often the last to leave, and they’d always pair up together. They’d do their pre- and post-training sessions together to try and make themselves the best that they could be.”
During his Brownlow Medal acceptance speech, Rowell spoke fondly of his junior football club, the Canterbury Cobras.
A young Matt Rowell playing for Canterbury Football Club.Credit: Canterbury Football Club
His former under-10s and under-11s coach Craig Spagnol was unsurprised to see Rowell win on Monday night, describing the Gold Coast star as “quiet leader” who always had a ball under his arm and who won the club’s best-and-fairest award nearly every year.
“He’s won awards all his life, so it’s always sort of felt destined that he was going to keep winning them,” Spagnol joked. “He’s always been respected by officials and his opponents … you still see it in the way he plays. It’s no fuss, no big talk.”
Despite Rowell’s individual accolades and success, Spagnol said the young footballer never wanted to be treated differently to anyone else.
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“If it was in junior football and it was his time to be off the ground, he always did so without objection,” he said. “He always understood what it meant to be a good teammate.”
Spagnol said everyone at Canterbury was “delighted with the win” and thrilled that Rowell recalled his time at the club with so much affection.
“You can just imagine that every boy and girl that’s ever worn the red gold and the black is just is a little prouder of their club because of the way Matt speaks about it.”
