AFL NEWS
Onward Christen soldier
After a premiership in his debut season, Allen Christensen is determined to maintain the Cats' momentum.
NUMBERS are often just that in modern football, inflated by a possession game that can obscure a player's true impact on a game.
It has been some time since a 25-touch effort guarantees a place on the list of best players.
But in the case of Geelong's Allen Christensen, the numbers speak volumes as to the impact of a player whose 19th AFL appearance resulted in a premiership medallion.
After starting four of his first five games as the designated substitute, Christensen averaged 18.3 disposals, 4.3 tackles and kicked 16 goals in the next 14 games in a stunning first season of senior football.
In his first year, runaway Rising Star award winner Joel Selwood averaged 19.2 disposals, 4.5 tackles and kicked seven goals.
For Christensen, the past spurs his future.
"It still hasn't sunk in at all," he said of the premiership win.
"All I know is that I'm pretty lucky at 20-years-old to win a flag in my first year of AFL footy and second year at Geelong.
"Hopefully there's a couple more to come because that feeling I had that day was amazing.
"I've know I've come in with more expectations of how hard I can push myself and what I need to do so I don't burn out too early.
"I'm learning my body more and more each pre-season."
After a two-week Falls Creek camp which he described by saying "hopefully I don't have to ride a bike for a while", the 20-year-old Cat was able to reflect on his stellar debut season.
A concussion suffered in the narrow Round 9 win over Carlton actually provided the impetus for his late season surge.
After missing the following game, against Gold Coast, he spent four weeks in the VFL.
"When I got back in, 'Scotty' (Chris Scott) and the coaches told me I wasn't in the team to make up numbers and that I'd been playing well in the VFL and I didn't miss a game after that," he said.
"Just knowing they wanted me there gave me confidence as a young bloke. That was the point for me when I thought 'I'm here to play in the ones and I was desperate to stay in there'."
Asked his fondest memory of the season and Christensen does not hesitate. "Playing with the guys I got drafted with in 2009," he said.
That group includes Daniel Menzel, Mitch Duncan, Nathan Vardy and Josh Cowan.
Despite the quintet playing a combined total of 68 games for the year, they did not all appear in the one match as Scott rotated and rested his key players.
"We're a really tight group and I'd like to think we can be the core coming through the next four or five years together with the guys drafted in 2010 and this year," he said.
While Menzel (knee) and Vardy (hip) are no certainties to play any part in the 2012 campaign, Christensen is aware that the challenge of avoiding the second-year blues awaits.
He says a combination of teammates and ambition will hopefully be enough to avert the phenomenon that has crippled many before him.
"I've just got to get fitter and stronger and if I get more attention then I'll take it in my stride," he said.
"I'm actually looking forward to it.
"The other side of it is that we've got players at the club who have played in three flags and they make sure that you're thinking that it was one of the best feelings you'll have in your life and I want to work even harder to get that feeling again.
"That's the approach I'm taking."
As the fresh face of the group in 2011, Christensen said he watched, listened and learned.
"The biggest thing for me was interstate travel and how to cope with it," he said.
"It's hard to keep things as normal as possible when you travel but the older guys are really good at having a routine when they travel and that no doubt helps them perform.
"Jimmy Bartel is one who has really looked after me, not only interstate but at the club and socially as well.
"He tells me things I can do better and things to work on, including my contested marking which is a focus for next year. He's an amazing contested mark for his size so hopefully I can work on that with him."
Bartel is one of the senior stars who Christensen looks up to. He says the culture created by the experienced men offsets any disappointment when players are not afforded senior opportunities.
Since their dynasty started in 2007, the Cats have lost only two "required" players – the then rookie-listed Shane Mumford to Sydney in 2009 (in return the club received pick 28 which it used to secure Mitch Duncan) and Jeremy Laidler to Carlton in 2010.
"Blokes have got every right to leave the club because there's not the opportunities that might exist at other clubs, but because of the culture created and instilled by the experienced guys you don't want to leave Geelong," Christensen said.
"Once you get that opportunity you'll get rewarded.
"Guys like Bartel, Kelly, Selwood, Enright, Corey … they're super, super footballers but they're super people to be around and that's why no one likes to leave the club.
"It's an amazing place to be. I'm not taking it for granted – ever."
Nor are his fellow '09 draftees, who Christensen says will be one day charged with continuing on the legacy of those who have gone before them.
