Wantirna South senior coach Jason Heffernan doesn’t expect to see rising star Jett Flower lighting up Walker Reserve for much longer.

Recently earning a spot in the AFL National Academy squad limited to just 25 talents countrywide, the grandson of late Melbourne legend Robbie Flower ticked every box this season.

From 11 Talent League matches as a bottom-age player to Vic Metro representative honours – and a senior debut with Wantirna South in Eastern’s strong Division 1 – there wasn’t much the 2027 AFL draft prospect couldn’t do.

“I’d like to think he’s had the year from heaven – he made the (Eastern) Ranges, the Vic squad as a bottom-age player, played senior football at his local club, played in the futures game and now he’s into the Academy, I think it’s awesome,” Heffernan said of Flower, who also represented St Joseph’s College in the ACC competition.

“We might only see him for two or three games next year – but we also understand we might not see him at all.

“He could end up playing some VFL football, to be truthful.”

Flower has followed a longstanding family history at Wantirna South, with grandfather Robbie once involved in the juniors and father Brad coaching at both underage and senior level.

Debuting for the Devils at just 16 in April this year, the pacy and versatile wingman turned heads against Beaconsfield – kicking a goal and finishing among the best afield.

He donned the senior jumper again in Round 12 – also against Beacy – hitting the scoreboard to help the club to a tight win.

Heffernan said Flower, now 17, had all the tools to make it as a league footballer.

“It’s drive, it’s desire, it’s the work he puts in and the effort – when he gets on the field he’s got pace, he’s attacking and he’s got flair,” he said.

“He’s that hybrid player – he can play half-back with dash, can play on a wing and break a game open, and he can go forward where he’s a tough match-up … genuinely you can put him one-out in the goalsquare and he can lead out at pace.”

But one strength stands out above the coveted rest according to the Devils’ premiership coach.

“He’s got a lot of awesome traits, but the main one is I think he’s extremely coachable,” Heffernan said.

“I hope we get to see him because I know he does like playing with us – he’s a ripper.”

OFF-SEASON & RECRUITING

Wantirna South has signed Sandringham VFL gun Jhett Haeata – who split his time between Beaumaris in the VAFA and the state league this year.

He’s touted to bolster the Devils’ midfield, defence and attack.

Heffernan said an existing connection sold the Wantirna South program to the 2024 Sandringham Dragons premiership star – with Haeata set to continue honing his craft in the VFL next year.

“He became good friends with (Wantirna South VFL-aligned player) Kyle Cooper at Sandy … footy’s six degrees of separation, people know people, and I’m also a friend of the Sandringham football manager,” he said, adding senior players Jesse Warner, Liam Hewett and Ryan Muir had been invited to train with Sandringham this pre-season.

Despite the Devils’ premiership credentials stacking up favourably against their rivals this year, the club was bundled out of the flag race in a heartbreaking first-week exit at the hands of Montrose.

Heffernan said while the bitter three-point defeat cut deep among the group, there was plenty to like about the club’s first season back in Division 1.

“I love that the players owned that we probably didn’t perform at our best on that day, no discredit to Montrose, and that’ll be a big driver for us moving forward,” Heffernan said.

“Everyone probably agrees that if you had have said at the start of the year that we’ll go up a division, make the five and just get pipped by three points in the first final … I think everyone thought that would’ve been a successful year.”

Led by returning star Lincoln Wong who was crowned the Division 1 league best and fairest for a second time, the coach declared the 2026 campaign signalled the club belonged at the level again.

“Any of the doubters within our playing group, they now look at it and go ‘We are good enough to compete at that level’,” Heffernan said.

“The players are really driven – I can’t fault them.”