Jack Slattery interview with Fox Footy, compares game to Brisbane Lions forward Logan Morris, SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens, Ben Waterworth, exclusive

Twelve months ago, Jack Slattery was watching former schoolmates realise their AFL dreams. Now, the South Australian sharpshooter is on the verge of potentially fulfilling his own, with a Brisbane premiership forward providing the blueprint.

At 192 centimetres, the 19-year-old knows he doesn’t necessarily fit the traditional mould of an AFL key forward, but the draft hopeful doesn’t have to look far for reassurance that size isn’t everything at the highest level.

Brisbane premiership forward Logan Morris, who stands one centimetre shorter than Slattery, has become a source of inspiration for the Woodville West-Torrens product after a standout All-Australian year in just his third season at AFL level.

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“I’ve seen a guy like Logan Morris play three unbelievable years of footy, and he measured 191 centimetres at the combine,” Slattery told foxfooty.com.au’s Ben Waterworth at the National Draft combine.

“That gives me a lot of confidence moving forward because my game is pretty similar to his. I think I can make that transition and stand up at AFL level.

“It’s about sticking to my strengths and trying to use them to my advantage in games.”

It’s a comparison that carries particular significance for Slattery, who has taken a less conventional route to the doorstep of an AFL career.

While the overwhelming majority of his fellow draft hopefuls are navigating their final year of school, the South Australian is already studying commerce at university, working part-time at an aquatic centre and testing himself against seasoned footballers in the SANFL.

And unlike many of his counterparts, Slattery’s aspirations for the top level were little more than a distant possibility this time last year.

The Clare product relocated to Prince Alfred College as a boarder in senior school, and watched on last November as former schoolmate Sam Cumming realised his AFL dream.

“I went to school with Sam, so I was seeing those guys take the next step and get picked up, but I wasn’t at that level yet,” Slattery said.

“I knew it was possible that I could get there. I knew I had it in me, but having that gut feeling and actually showing is a very different thing.

“I’d say I was just a late bloomer. Each of my three years of high school in Adelaide, my footy took another step. I went from playing local footy two years ago to playing SANFL last year, and now state footy.

“It’s been a big rise.”

After playing two reserves games and 11 Under 18 fixtures for the Eagles in 2025, Slattery managed to break into the SANFL side for three matches this year — kicking a goal in each of his first two appearances.

“My goal at the start of the year was probably just to play league footy, which did eventuate,” he said.

“Once I was picked in the state program in April, my goals definitely shifted to making the most of the opportunity and hopefully playing as many championships games as possible.”

The opportunity to develop at SANFL level alongside experienced former AFL duo Riley Knight and Jack Hayes, who played 63 games between them at the top level, he says has proved invaluable for accelerating his development.

Having spent much of the year competing against bigger, more mature bodies himself at state league, Slattery found himself increasingly comfortable against some of the country’s better semi-professional talents.

“Throughout the championships, I gained a lot of momentum and confidence,” Slattery said.

“I’d also been around bigger bodies in the SANFL, and I think I was able to use that to my advantage at the championships.

“The championships are also played at a very high level, and the entries inside 50 were very good, so I think I benefited from that as well.”

For all the attention surrounding his height, Slattery believes his versatility inside attacking 50 can offset any perceived physical limitations.

Describing himself as a “slightly undersized key forward”, the teenager prides himself on his ability to impact contests both aerially and at ground level, while making the most of his opportunities in front of goal.

And with the academic pressures of Year 12 behind him, the 19-year-old has been able to devote more energy to football, all while continuing his studies and part-time employment.

“In my last year of high school, I put a lot of pressure on myself academically to do well. My parents are both teachers, so they had high expectations for me,” he said.

“This year, I think everyone would agree that, depending on your degree, there’s a bit of a drop-off in workload going from Year 12 to first-year uni.

“I had a bit more spare time and was able to use that to my advantage and put full effort into footy. I think it really benefited me.”

Having entered last year’s off-season without speaking to a single club, he arrived at this year’s national combine having already met with 11, with more likely to have followed.

It’s a pretty remarkable turnaround for a player whose initial ambitions extended little further than establishing himself at senior SANFL level.

But, regardless of what unfolds on draft night, Slattery has already laid the foundations for life beyond football.

The first-year commerce student has secured an internship with accounting and advisory firm William Buck for next year, providing another avenue should his AFL ambitions not eventuate this month.

A lifelong Port Adelaide supporter, Jack grew up surrounded by the club’s history, with uncle Luke Slattery having played 100 SANFL games for the Magpies.

His father, meanwhile, has been his greatest influence, having experienced his own football journey cut short by concussion issues.

“He gave me a lot of feedback growing up, has been a big advocate for my game and spends a lot of time watching my games,” Slattery said.

“It’s not always positive; there’s a lot of critical stuff. But he cares about me and how I go, so I’m really grateful for him.

“I definitely think some of the effort he puts into my footy is a reflection of what he wishes he’d been able to do himself.”