Benji Finch
| 2021 Draft Candidate | |
|---|---|
| P | |
| Personal information | |
| Species | Bilby |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | January 9, 1998 |
| Hometown | Melbourne, VIC, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 234 lb (106 kg) |
| Throws | Right |
| Education | |
| College | Illinois State |
| Player Contacts | |
| Agent | Bryan Shadowolf |
Benji Finch is a prospective punter draftee for the UFFL.
Biography
Growing up in Melbourne, Australia, Benji Finch was a sporty kid who grew up a fan of Aussie-rules football. The sport is like a religion there: local footy rules the morning hours on weekend, The VFFA rules the afternoon and their two FAFL teams, Melbourne and Melbourne City rule primetime. It's understandable that Benji would be a fan and would want to play at the highest level.
However, that wasn't the only sport Benji followed. Footy only goes from March to September, you see. The summer months had to be filled with something to follow and Benji didn't really have the attention span for cricket. He would however find a weird game playing on TV one day that seemed to combine the hard hitting nature of Aussie rules with the scoring nature of rugby. Benji was entranced by the game and he along with many Aussies would come to know it as American football, or gridiron.
While Benji kept up with what was going on in the U.S. and loved it, He was mainly focused on his push for a career in the FAFL. Finch would go up the ranks of the junior system in Australia and would end up a part of the Brighton VFFA team. However, that would be as far as Benji got as due to varying factors including his struggles to win marking contests. He would not be scouted by the team scouts in the FAFL and would not be drafted.
Benji was distraught after the 2017 FAFL Draft passed without him being selected, but something caught his attention. A former UFFL punter was down in Australia running a combine for Australians wanting to make it in American football. While Benji knew that he didn't have what he needed to make it in the FAFL, he thought that at this point 'What the hell. Better to try than to wonder'.
At the combine, Benji impressed the college Scouts who were looking for talent for their college teams. The one thing that hadn't been a weakness for Benji was his kicking and during the combine. He would show that he would be a perfect fit to be a punter. Illinois State gave him a scholarship on the spot, and after a lot of thinking and preparation, Benji made his move to the U.S. to go for his new goal of playing in the big time of the UFFL.
At Illinois State, Benji impressed as the bilby brought his drop-punt technique to the game and gained a bit of a following back home due to it. The distance he could kick the ball impressed both rival colleges and scouts who were looking for hot new talent. After the 2020-21 season, Benji graduated from Illinois State and applied for the UFFL Draft.
While Punter isn't exactly the most glamorous position, Benji Finch is just happy to have a shot at making it to the big time. While it wasn't his first dream, It a dream nonetheless.
Vitals
| Measure | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick Distance | Kick Accuracy |
Traits
- Strong work ethic
- Team player
- Good sportsfur
- Values team/position security
- Values starting/playing time
- Has a high morale
Personality type
- Power Leg
Player Survey
How does your player's unique physicality (think species) fit well for the position that they play?
<Bryan didn't answer the question in-character, so if he wants to he can fill this part out later>
What is your player's biggest weakness?
The rough stuff. If the defense break thru and get to him, He's not much good and is likely to be knocked down and struggle to recover the ball.
If given the opportunity, would your player want to be formally mentored by another player? Why or why not?
Benji would like to be mentored. He's still new to the U.S. and has to be shown around the place even though he's been there for a few years now.
