Norwood’s Phoenix Foster picked by Geelong in 2022 AFL Draft

A top SA draft prospect thought his AFL dream was over on Tuesday night before a call from a familiar name changed his life forever.

Norwood Football Club and Immanuel College draft prospect Phoenix Foster was sitting in a Tumby Bay pub on Tuesday night with his AFL Draft dream seemingly over, but one phone call would change his life.

With the bar’s small television muted, the talented ruckman out of Wudinna on the Eyre Peninsula could hardly make out what was happening on the screen as the draft ticked through to pick 52.

The room was soon sent into delirium though as top SA draftee Mattaes Phillipou called to tell him he’d been picked by reigning premier Geelong.

“I just burst into tears and my family and the boys mobbed me,” Foster said of the moment.

“It had reached the stage where I was wondering if it was ever going to happen and I had just had a couple tough phone calls with my manager dampening expectations and preparing for the disappointment.

“In a matter of moments I got the call from Mattaes and then had guys like Tom Stewart from Geelong buzzing me – I can’t even describe how it felt.”

Phoenix Foster (in red) representing SA last season. He was drafted to Geelong with pick 52 on Tuesday night. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Beginning his A Grade footy career for Wudinna at just 14 years old, the 18-year-old forward/ruck utility reached his AFL goal the hard way.

Travelling to Adelaide to join Immanuel College as a footy boarder in 2020, Foster saw nearly his entire season put on hold during Covid before being able to hit the field again during 2021.

In just one year, the athletic big managed to impress SA and Norwood coaches as well as talent scouts from around the nation.

“I started kicking a footy as soon as I could walk and managed to progress at Wudinna pretty quickly, the club was really important in my early development,” Foster said.

Foster enjoyed over a year of success at Immanuel College under Mark Bickley. Picture: Supplied, Immanuel College

“I eventually moved to Immanuel but was set back another year with Covid so only had that one year to make a name for myself.

“Growing up on the Eyre Peninsula my whole life I did it the hard way – I wasn’t groomed to other systems and didn’t have a heap of exposure but after taking my footy more serious in recent years I managed to really improve.”

Foster credited his development to dual Crows premiership captain Mark Bickley at Immanuel and Jade Rawlings and Michael Nolan at Norwood.

“Bicks was a real calming presence for me but always pushed me to do better and working under him and Peter McIntyre at Immanuel was huge for me.

“Norwood was also a super empowering experience for me as a vice captain of the U18s and I feel I really honed my ability in the ruck and up front at the club.

Phoenix Foster credited his time at Wudinna, Immanuel College and Norwood for his development. Picture: SANFL

“I’m so excited to get to Geelong now – it’s a big country town really and my uncle, Daniel Foster, was drafted there in 1999 so I’ve got a connection and I know I’ll fit in well.”

Bickley said, despite being a late pick, Foster could have a major impact at the Cats.

“He moves around the ground well, he clunks the ball very well up front and for a 197cm tall bloke he kicks beautifully so his potential is huge,” he said.

“He’s a really impressive guy who loves the game and he’s going to be a player the club looks at as a key forward but can also pinch-hit in ruck and impact there

“In two years time he could honestly be a Tom Hawkins replacement.”

See each draft pick here.