Zac Standish
Morwell’s Ben Ainsworth is quickly making a name for himself as an elite small forward 63 games into his AFL career.
Playing a key role in a rising Gold Coast Suns team, it has been an indifferent start to the season as the side endured some early struggles and he missed the opening match due to injury.
Speaking with The Express, Ainsworth explained how he has seen the start of the 2021 campaign.
“It has been frustrating in the first couple of weeks being close to winning games and then not coming away with the chocolates,” Ainsworth said.
“However I think we have shown a lot as a team over the last couple of weeks and building towards a couple more wins on the way following our great performance against Sydney.”
Forming part of a forward line featuring the likes of young stars Ben King and Izak Rankine, he said it is exciting to see the growth of the group as they continue to build chemistry.
“It is a pretty special position to be in at the moment,” he said.
“The more games we play together the better we are going to be, and I think everybody needs to realise that we have only played around 20-50 games each so the group is young but at the same time everybody is really maturing.
“As we get more experience and our chemistry grows I think there will be no limit as to what we can achieve as a forward group.”
As well as making strides on the field, Ainsworth said the growth off the field has been just as strong as the club looks to build a sustainable culture.
“It has been a significant growth period for not only the players but the club as a whole,” he said.
“I think over the last two to three years we have been building a good culture and preaching elite habits and everybody is beginning to live those in the day-to-day process of being an AFL football club.
“It is exciting to be a part of the group we have now and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store.”
As a junior, Ainsworth was touted as an elite prospect with many locals speaking highly of his talent as he climbed the ranks.
He outlined his football journey in the Valley and the nerves heading into his first senior game with the Morwell Tigers.
“Playing since I was six years old I started at the Morwell Youth Club, who are now the Morwell Eagles, before moving onto the Tigers then Gippsland Power and Vic Country,” he said.
“I was lucky enough to play a few senior games for Morwell as well, debuting when I was 15 and it is something I will always cherish.
“I remember my first senior game was down in Wonthaggi and we got the win, I was so nervous heading into the game I ended up going to the toilet every five minutes beforehand, but it was a fantastic experience and helped me greatly.”
Eventually selected with pick four in the 2016 national draft to the Gold Coast, Ainsworth described his move north and how living in surfers Paradise compares to growing up in Morwell.
“It is very different especially with the climate it is a lot warmer,” he said.
“At the same time in terms of football, I guess there are eight goal posts on the field so nothing changes in terms of that, but I am absolutely loving every minute of living up here.”
The Suns would also welcome fellow Gippsland Power product Sam Flanders to the club in the 2019 draft, who Ainsworth was quick to take under his wing.
“I actually lived with Sam the first year he was drafted up here to the Gold Coast and he is a ripping kid,” he said.
“He may have struggled a tad just finding his feet, but in the past six to 12 months he has taken leaps and bounds in his footy so he is only going to get better week by week.”
As for his beloved Tigers, Ainsworth said he is still dialled in to how they are travelling.
“I have got a couple of mates down there in Kuiy Jiath and Tyler Hillier who play that I keep in pretty close contact with,” he said.
“It is always important to get back to where you came from and give back to the grassroots pathways that did so much for your own journey.”
