By Rebecca Mills
Last year’s pick number three at the NAB AFL Draft, Dom Tyson, has some simple advice for Thursday’s draft hopefuls - enjoy the moment.
The Greater Western Sydney GIANTS will head to the Gold Coast with the first three selections for the second year in a row, with Tyson urging budding AFL stars to soak up the excitement on the night.
“We’ve got five picks in the first 14 so there will be some quality players coming to our list which already has some quality players so it will be a really exciting night for our club,” Tyson said.
“You’ve just got to enjoy it. You only get drafted once.
“If you’re up on the Gold Coast on Thursday night there will be a lot of media and it will go pretty quickly but if you’re back at home it will be exciting to be around your mates and family.
“It’s an exciting time and a once in a lifetime night.”
Tyson said that while being selected in the top tiers of the draft is a privilege, it is then up to the player to prove himself when he arrives at his new AFL club.
“It’s a great honor but it’s something that you don’t think about too much, you’re always told that as soon as you walk in to a club that draft picks don’t matter and you have to prove yourself.
“At the moment it’s just about getting on the park and playing good footy, you don’t worry about whom was selected where.”
The midfielder said that there was plenty of talent being discussed in this year’s draft pool and that the GIANTS had faith in their recruiters to build an exciting young list.
“Whitfield has been highly touted as the number one pick, he’s a really great kid and player so it would be good to have him here if we select him,” Tyson said.
