At times his kicking can be questionable with a few clangers ensuring based on the break-neck speed at which he is running, while he also has low numbers compared to other midfielders and therefore could lift his accumulation rate. And just as his interview with the Magpies’ recruiting team was finishing up, the left-field question he was anticipating came.“Collingwood showed me a picture full of cars and they asked me what car I’m most like. A good size midfielder/defender, Petruccelle isn’t afraid to attack the football and win the contested ball. During testing at the National Combine, the Northern Knight topped all participants in the 20m sprint with a time of 2.87 seconds. He is strong overhead and can often win the ball at half-back and run past opponents without anyone getting a hand on him. He is officially the fastest player of this year’s crop, clocking the best 20m sprint time (2.87 seconds) of all draftees at the recent national combine.As well as speed, Petruccelle has ample traits that make it hard for on-lookers to take their eyes off him on a footy field.The big mop of hair helps, but Northern Knights talent manager Rhy Gieschen says Petruccelle’s “freakish ability” makes him a special player.“We know he’s quick, but what he was able to show was that he’s got some really quality footy crafts.
Jack Petruccelle has kicked two goals in the first quarter of his first Western Derby and his second showed off his best asset - his speed. That was a bit of a weird one,” Petruccelle tells Forced to think on his feet, Petruccelle’s eyes quickly deviated to the long red one — and for good reason.“I chose the Ferrari — I just chose the quick one,” he laughs.While his answer could be seen as light-hearted, it’s also spot on.If you had to pick out a Ferrari from this year’s draft class, Petruccelle, who looms as a possible second-round pick in the national draft later this month, is the most appropriate.And that’s not just because of his Italian heritage.Petruccelle has wheels. Jack Petruccelle is a basketball convert that committed full-time to football at the end of last year.
He racked up a then-career-high 27 disposals against the top-of-the-table Geelong Falcons before booting 5.1 from 18 disposals against the Gippsland Power the next week.Gieschen reckons ‘Pet’, at that stage of the year, was “performing as well as anybody in the TAC Cup — including the highly rated players”.“Those two games were my favourite of the year,” he says.“That was an eye-opener as I thought ‘gee I’m going alright here, maybe I can boost my chances to get drafted’.”Petruccelle was then given a golden chance to enhance his draft case in June when he was selected in the final Vic Metro squad for the Under 18 national championships, before also being picked for Team Enright in the All-Stars on AFL Grand Final day.All this in a year and still Petruccelle found a way to scratch his basketball itch.Along with a close friend, he took charge of a local Under 14s basketball team as a co-coach, which he says helped his transition even more.“It meant I got to stay within the sport without actually playing it.”Some AFL commentators, most notably Richmond great Kevin Bartlett, don’t like it when draft prospects’ basketball backgrounds are constantly referenced and how the court sport has helped their footy nous.“The speed I used on a basketball court can translate into footy,” he says.“Change of direction, taking the game on and getting away from players — it all definitely relates to basketball.
"There was a shining light tonight, and it was 'Petch'," West Coast coach Adam Simpson said after the loss. In this instalment, we again turn our attention to the prospects running around in the Under 18 competition, with a focus on State [...] A former basketballer, Petruccelle represented Vic Metro in the national Under-18 competition before setting the fastest 20-metre sprint time at the draft combine, recording just 2.87 seconds. A very handy trait to have coming off half back, drawing similar traits to Essendon’s Adam Saad. And then to get invited to the combine — it’s all insane.“The decision has really come together, it’s turned out great.”A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. Speed machine Jack Petruccelle is poised to break into West Coast’s premiership line-up for Saturday night’s season-opener against Brisbane, while Brad Sheppard has been passed fit to make his return following his grand final heartbreak. He is a strong mark overhead and has a nice vertical leap which sets him aside from other players. Clubs will see the 18 year old as a player who will need development. DRAFT ANALYSIS: "A lightning quick inside midfielder who is strong overhead and can play at half-back or through the middle"Jack Petruccelle has shown glimpses all season of his lightning pace and ability to break the lines. He is an inside beast who wins 57 per cent of his possessions at the contest …
He was also starting to receive scholarship offers.Petruccelle claims he couldn’t have gone much further in basketball — “maybe I could’ve made a SEABL team” — but still a professional footy career wasn’t near the top of the priorities list.Then the Northern Knights came knocking midway through 2016. Loading ... Young speed machines light it up | West Coast v Port Adelaide Highlights | Round 5, 2019 | AFL - Duration: 6:14. He clocked up a time of 2.87 seconds at the National Combine in the 20m sprint and shows his acceleration off each game he plays. He clocked up a time of 2.87 seconds at the National Combine in the 20m sprint and shows his acceleration off each game he plays. Jack Petruccelle starred at the national draft combine.
Jack Petruccelle was drafted by the West Coast Eagles with pick 38 during the 2017 National Draft.