Hunt for SA talent

South African cricket coach Mickey Arthur believes it's inevitable that Australia will plunder many of his country's finest young players to compete and develop their talents in Australia.

And, interestingly, the concept has his full support.

Arthur, the mastermind behind South Africa's ground-breaking Test series victory, was talking not about South Africa's cricket talent but it's young and growing crop of athletes dabbling in Australian football.

Arthur, as it happens, is a big fan of Aussie Rules and never misses the weekly AFL highlights show televised at home in Johannesburg.

He's well aware of the burgeoning interest in the code in the north-west of his country and believes the AFL has an excellent opportunity to gain a foothold and, eventually, recruits from the region.

"I do think we have the athletes there that could well make it in the game - they've got strength, they're fairly tall, probably the exact physique you're looking for in the game," Arthur said.

"So if you can get one or two guys coming out of there it's got to be good."

Speaking during a visit with several of his players including Hashim Amla, Johan Botha and Makhaya Ntini on Wednesday to the Lexus Centre in Melbourne - the training base of AFL club, Collingwood - Arthur said he relishes the opportunity to swap ideas with coaches and administrators from rival codes.

"Just interacting with a guy like (former Essendon coach) Kevin Sheedy has been amazing for us, just swapping ideas," Arthur said.

"That's how you grow, that's how you learn because at an elite level, all sports mindsets are almost exactly the same."

"There might be one or two ways that people train or prepare differently and if you pick up one idea from a day like this it's well worth the effort."

Arthur said his interest in Aussie Rules was kindled by a former neighbour of his in South Africa, whose brother, Matthew 'Spider' Burton, played 147 games for Fremantle and the Kangaroos.

"I became a little bit of a Kangaroos fan and got their jumper and everything because I followed 'Spider' Burton for a while because we get the (AFL) highlights show once a week at home on TV," Arthur said.

"So I became a bit of a North Melbourne fan there for a little bit, but I guess I've got to support Collingwood now."