Karnezis on road to redemption

Patrick Karnezis evades Magpie Steele Sidebottom. Picture: Darren England Source: The Courier-Mail

PATRICK Karnezis was Brisbane's boom rookie in 2011.

But the promising forward went bust in 2012 after falling victim to the "second-year syndrome" that has struck so many rising stars in professional sport.

After kicking 17 goals in 11 games in 2011 - including two goals with his first two kicks in senior football in his Round 13 debut - Karnezis returned just six majors from seven senior games in 2012.

Speculation mounted about the Hawthorn Citizens junior suffering from homesickness as he plied his trade in the Lions reserves as a midfielder.

Brisbane officials said Karnezis never requested a trade nor was the product of a tight-knit Melbourne family ever offered up as trade bait.

He polled the most Grogan Medal votes for a Lions player and produced a 33-disposal effort in the NEAFL Northern Conference grand final win against the NT Thunder.

As he looks to rebuild his AFL career in 2013, Karnezis, 20, clearly wants his football to do the talking after declining an interview request from the Sunday Herald Sun.

But Lions senior coach Michael Voss is happy to speak about the steps Karnezis has taken on the road to redemption.

"You sometimes forget that second-year players are 19 turning 20. They are still so young but we try to emphasise the things that are important to give them the foundations for their footy career," he said.

"It's important they understand what are the acceptable standards. Patty probably went through a period early on when it was difficult for him to understand those.

"But as soon as he grasped them, he put his head down and played some terrific footy in the reserves which is a credit to him.

"I kept saying to him, 'This is going to help you' but I'm sure he didn't feel like that at the time because all of the boys are here to play senior footy.

"Quite often, young guys don't really hit their straps until their fourth season in the system so we have high hopes that Patty will make some serious inroads this year."

Karnezis is continuing to train as a midfielder after Brisbane recruited a number of tall-marking forwards at the end of last year.

Voss said having two strings to his bow will help Karnezis claw his way back into the senior side.

"In the modern game, you've got to be able to have a couple of spots to go to, you've got to flexible," he said.

"If we can play him in the midfield and push him forward or vice-versa, that will help him in the game as well as at match committee.

"He's played in that forward role for a couple of years and he's quiet familiar with it, so last year we wanted to increase his workrate and make that a focus.

"Patty has been doing that and training really, really well so he's improved a hell of a lot."

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