“IT’S THE best night of the year,” declares Kelly O’Donnell, former Demon turned club recruiter.
It’s draft night and we’re inside corporate box 30 at Marvel Stadium. In an hours’ time, the people in this room will make AFL dreams become reality for two young footballers.
6:15pm – One hour until the first pick is selected
The corporate box slowly starts to fill with a number of notable Melbourne faces – CEO Paul Guerra, List Manager Tim Lamb, National Recruiting Manager Jase Taylor etc. There’s roughly 11 people in the room between coaching, recruiting and football staff.
There’s a buzz and lots of chatter, as expected.
Steven King joins the group having come from a day of training at Gosch’s Paddock. Taylor and King debrief – it was good to see Max Gawn, Jake Melksham and Steven May return for their first session of the pre-season.
Eyes are drawn to the TV which is showing an old AFL game between Carlton and Port Adelaide. Nothing says footy expert like watching a re-run and dissecting every play that happened 20 years ago.
Club legend Hassa Mann is set to present the guernseys to the draftees tonight and pops into the room before heading downstairs.
Mann is beaming with excitement at the opportunity to be there on what is a special time for so many.
He’s joined by his grandson, Matthew Kayrooz, who chats to the recruiters about some of the players up for selection tonight, he’s a bottom-ager in the Coates Talent League playing for the Northern Knights.
6:45pm
A hush comes over the rooms as Lamb jumps on a Zoom call with the AFL. It’s almost draft time.
A representative from the league conducts a rollcall to check that all clubs are present and ready. They run through the process of the night. All systems are a go.
Word that Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett has arrived permeates through the room – the plan is to select his cousin Latrelle Pickett with selection No.12. Latrelle has rocketed up draft boards as the draft closes in, meaning his selection could shake up the draft order.
Kysaiah is waiting downstairs in the carpark with Indigenous Projects Officer Matthew Whelan so that the surprise isn’t spoiled.
7:00pm – Live Draft coverage begins
As the clock ticks over to 7:00pm, all attention is turned to the four TVs in the room as the live coverage begins.
The draft starts and various conversations are sparked, from the many talents of the Duursma family, to whether the father-son rule should remain in footy.
8:04pm
Lamb’s phone rings, it’s a short call. A pick trade is floated by another club, which Lamb shuts down. That’s not part of the Dees’ plan tonight.
The draft rolls on.
8:20pm
Essendon has back-to-back selections prior to Melbourne’s back-to-back selections. The Dees’ recruiters are hoping they don’t select Xavier Taylor, a tall defender from Eastern Ranges.
The Bombers use their picks to draft Sullivan Robey and Jacob Farrow.
The silence of relief hits the room as their best-case scenario is about to unfold.
It’s confirmed, the Dees will be taking Taylor and Pickett.
Someone checks in on Kysaiah and Whelan, they’re walking into the draft room downstairs, ready for Latrelle’s name to be called.
In the meantime, Taylor is met on stage by Mann - one Demon who’s just starting his Melbourne journey and one who’s been on the journey for close to 66 years – it’s a special moment for the pair.
Pickett is selected and the surprise goes to plan. Latrelle and Kysaiah entered the night as cousins and now leave as teammates.
The selections are done, dreams have been made a reality and Xavier and Latrelle are Demons.
The joy in the room is palpable. O’Donnell was right. The best night of the year.
