MEET Alex Georgiou.

He’s the mature-age rookie – he turns 24 in February – drafted by Melbourne in last Wednesday’s NAB AFL Rookie Draft, who is a civil engineer and has been compared to much-loved character Mr.Bean.

It’s hardly the normal bio for a footballer entering the AFL.

But for Georgiou, whose first name is Alexis, which he says “only my mum calls me”, he is proud of the fact that he’s made his way to Melbourne after forging an impressive career away from the field.  

“I didn’t think this opportunity [with Melbourne] would arise for me, so I did my study and got my degree and worked hard outside of footy and just played footy on the side at the best level that I could,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“It seems like that’s paid dividends now, because I’ll get to play footy full-time, which will be nice.”

On the morning of the draft, as hundreds of hopefuls waited for one last opportunity to secure a position on an AFL list for 2014, Georgiou simply had to press on with the day’s activities.

As an engineer with multinational property and infrastructure company Lend Lease, he was working on a construction site for the Southern Expressway Duplication in Adelaide.

“I work in the structure side of things – building all of the bridges over the creeks and over the road,” he said.

“I got up early in the morning for work, like I always do and we had some pretty important work on. I knew the rookie draft was on and that I was a decent chance, but I was stuck outside and I couldn’t actually watch it live.

“I figured if it did go my way that my phone would start going crazy and soon enough it did – the phone calls and text messages started flying in.”

Despite forging an impressive career with Norwood in the SANFL, Georgiou, who is of Greek-Cypriot heritage (his grandfather immigrated to Australia after World War II), said he never built up his draft hopes.

“When I was coming through at 17 and 18, I was just another player in the development system. I was never invited to state [trials]. I was happy just playing footy at the best level I could, which was SANFL,” he said.

“I was over the moon when I made my SANFL debut and I played three seasons of consistent footy there. I don’t think I would’ve been shattered, if I’d never got this opportunity, because I honestly thought it would never, ever come.

“I always want to test myself at the best level in everything I do and in football that’s taking this opportunity at AFL level. I’m rapt that I’ve got the opportunity, but if it didn’t occur, I’m not one to lose any sleep over it.”

Still, Georgiou said he genuinely had to decide if taking up the opportunity at the highest level was his best option, given he had invested so much into his engineering career.

“I’m pretty much set up in Adelaide. I’ve got that job, my degree, I’m playing League footy at Norwood, I’ve got a house and I’ve got things set up,” he said.

“Because I’m a full-time employee, it’s not like I can get drafted and leave the next day – like I did. During the meeting process with Melbourne, I was pretty strong on them giving me as much clarity as possible, so I could be transparent with work,” he said.

“They’ve (Lend Lease) put a lot of time and effort into me in the last two years, as a young graduate developing into the role I have now. The building industry’s a small game – you don’t want to go burning your bridges at the age of 23. But engineering will be there once my career is over, whether that’s in a year or 10 years, but hopefully 10 years.”

Georgiou said Melbourne national recruiting manager Jason Taylor gave him plenty of notice that he was right in the mix to become a Demon.  

“I couldn’t ask any more from what Jase did for me – he said ‘have a chat to work, because there is a decent chance [we will draft you],” he said.

“After the national draft went by, I thought it wasn’t looking that way, but he rang me again on [last] Monday [before the rookie draft] and said ‘keep the wheels in motion, because I think there is a spot for you on this [rookie] list’.

“On the work side of things, they were fantastic. They fully understand that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you have to take it with both hands.”

As for the Mr.Bean reference, Georgiou said it came via former Norwood coach – and now Essendon assistant – Nathan Bassett, who told The Advertiser in October that “he looks like Mr Bean, he runs like he's running on broken glass and his kick looks awkward”.

“I can understand where he (Bassett) is coming from. I’m not the most fluent moving athlete and I cop a bit of criticism for the way I go about things – I make them look a little bit harder than they are. But I don’t lose any sleep over it and I just try and do my role, and do my best,” he said.

“On ‘Bass’, he’s been my biggest mentor in my football career. He’s taught me how to look past some deficiencies in people’s games – as long as they can play their role. That’s something he saw in me … he trusted that I could do my role, even though I’m not the prettiest footballer.

“Hopefully that’s rubbed off on a few people. Jason and the recruiting boys at Melbourne obviously see something similar in me as what ‘Bass’ did.”

The 188cm tall and 93kg defender said he was happy to fulfill any role down back at Melbourne, whether that was on “a small, tall or resting ruckman”.

“I’m pretty comfortable playing on a diverse range of players and I think that’s something that got [me] across the line with Jason – that the third tall [defender] was the obvious position for me,” he said.

“But I’m willing to take whatever role they want me to – and I think I can probably achieve [it].”

Georgiou is another successful product of Norwood and has set up camp for the short term with former Redlegs and now Melbourne teammate Dean Terlich.

“I played in a flag with him in 2012 and I’m really good mates with him. He picked me up from the airport and I’m shacking up with him in the meantime,” he said.

“My best mate Matty Fuller got drafted by the Western Bulldogs the other day – we went to school together, played footy together and we’ve known each other since we were 13 or 14.

“That’s going to make the transition a little easier, but there are still a lot of unknowns and we’ll see how comfortable I feel [once I’m settled].”

Although Georgiou isn’t on Melbourne’s primary list, he said he was “definitely” at the club “to have a crack at the highest level and that’s playing AFL footy”.

“Even though Melbourne was only willing to offer me a rookie spot, I just saw it as an opportunity to have my foot in the door,” he said.

“Once I can build that trust in the group and play my role within the team, I feel there will be a senior position in the team for me.

“That’s my number one goal.”