Isaac Wareham confident knee injury will recover before AFL combine

The Terang Mortlake teenager was one of 79 footballers from around Australia, along with South Warrnambool's Jay Rantall, picked for the annual testing camp.

Wareham, 17, said it was a relief to be invited after a spate of injuries in his top-age draft season.

He was restricted to seven games for Greater Western Victoria Rebels but produced his strongest form for Vic Country at the AFL under 18 national championships.

"I am pretty excited. I feel pretty lucky to be invited," Wareham said.

"I think I have had an interrupted season and I am just happy they (AFL clubs) have seen what I can do.

"I broke my hand at the start of the season, injured my quad in the middle of the season and I've just done my knee recently."

Wareham hurt his medial ligament playing for St Patrick's College Ballarat in the Herald Sun Shield semi-final.

The injury did not require surgery but put a line through his season with the Rebels and ruled him out of St Pat's grand final against St Bede's on August 7.

"I was pretty devastated (when I got hurt)," he said.

"I didn't think I'd played enough games to get my name out there but I was lucky enough they saw enough in the last two games I played for Vic Country that I got an invite."

Wareham was one of Vic Country's best in its narrow loss to Western Australia at Marvel Stadium on July 2 after he was switched from half-back to a wing.

He is confident his latest injury setback will recover in time to prepare for the gruelling AFL combine which tests players' fitness, skills and mental toughness.

Wareham said it was pleasing Rantall had also earned an invite.

"I knew Jay from running and cross country but I hadn't really got links with him because I played cricket and he played basketball," he said.

"We started playing this year (together at the Rebels) and have a good friendship and hopefully we can keep building on that."

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