Hawthorn Next Generation Academy prospect Keenan Boi is emerging as a bolter in AFL Draft discussions.
Boi has Indigenous and Mauritian heritage which qualifies him for the Hawks Academy, training with the AFL squad in pre-season.
Despite those Hawks links and putting together a strong block of form prior to the Under-18s National Championships, he has largely flown under the radar.
“He's really quick and powerful: they're the two areas that are AFL level,” his Gippsland Power coach Kris Pendlebury told Zero Hanger.
Hawthorn is well-stocked for small forwards with Nick Watson and Dylan Moore leading a strong brigade, but have closely tracked him and are not the only club to have shown interest. The Hawks currently have picks 14, 26, 27, 32 and 69 but are expected to be active in the trade space.
He played a complete half forward performance in Vic Country's 13-point win on Sunday, finishing with 17 disposals, four tackles and two goals in a performance which caught the eye of recruiters.
He has averaged 12 disposals, three tackles and 1.1 per Talent League game this year, with his last six weeks in particular putting him on the radar.
“He's matured emotionally. He doesn't get too high if he does something well or too low if he makes a mistake, he's living in that sweet spot in the middle so that's probably the biggest growth I've seen,” Pendlebury noted.
“He's so talented and does some amazing things and now he's reliable as well so I think that's the biggest growth area for him.”
The 177cm forward ran 12 kilometres as a high half forward in Vic Country's opener, considered well above average, and consistent with his strong GPS numbers at Talent League level.
His overall athletic profile is strong, highlighted by a quick 2.997 20-metre sprint in pre-season and he is viewed as a player who can accelerate through traffic well.
“I don't think I've ever seen him lose his feet when he's over those groundballs,” Pendlebury exclaimed.
“He seems to be strong through the hips and can break through a tackle and he's god at keeping the ball alive in front of him to give him opportunities to swoop on a groundball and his ability to get the ball to his foot is really impressive.”
Hailing from the Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung tribes in northern/central Victoria, Boi has grown up in Gippsland and goes to school at Lowanna College which has produced AFL players Alix Tauru, Bailey Humphrey, Jacob Konstanty and Tom Matthews in recent years.
Those around the Power system viewed him as having the strongest pre-season at the club which led to the form spike.
“I think the high forward suits his running and he's a really good field kick.
“We haven't exposed him deep forward at the moment but I could see him doing that because he's got good hands, and he's powerful and has good pressure, the defensive work is another strength because he's always had a natural knack for second and third efforts.”
Vic Country does not play again until 3 July with Boi's Gippsland in action against Bendigo on Sunday.
