AFL rookie draft: Keenan Ramsey selected by Adelaide Crows, beats odds to achieve AFL dream

NEW Crow Keenan Ramsey, who lost an eye to cancer at age two, says he wants to be a role model for kids after beating the odds to fulfil his AFL dream.

3.12.2014. Adelaide Crows' new draftee Keenan Ramsey, who has a prosthetic eye. Photo Sam Wundke.

NEW Crow Keenan Ramsey says he wants to be a role model for kids after beating the odds to fulfil his AFL dream.

Six days after being shattered at missing selection at the national draft, the teenage key-position player from Port Lincoln found an AFL home at Adelaide, being picked at No.27 in the rookie draft.

DRAFT TRACKER: PROFILES OF EVERY NATIONAL AND ROOKIE DRAFT PICK

His selection capped a remarkable journey for the 18-year-old, who has played his entire football career with one eye after losing an eye to cancer at age two.

“I think I am a good role model for kids to show them that you can achieve anything that you put your mind to,’’ Ramsey said.

“Hopefully I can go out now and earn the respect from all the (Adelaide) players, train really well and get my (AFL) opportunity.’’

Ramsey, drafted from the Port Magpies and a self-confessed Power fanatic, said his parents were “over the moon’’ at his selection after raising him as a normal child who “never thought of my eye as a hindrance’’.

“I’ve just always thought that this is how I am going to be, my parents brought me up really well and never said I couldn’t do anything,’’ Ramsey said.

“I can never remember having two eyes, so this is how I’ve been my whole life, and I think I can see as good as anyone else.

“If I could remember having the two eyes and lost one then probably (it could be an issue) but because I started playing football with the one eye I have adapted.’’

Keenan Ramsey tries on Crows colours for the first time. Picture: Sam Wundke

Ramsey, 192cm and 86kg, starred for the SA under-18s in their victorious national championship side this year, with coach Brenton Phillips saying he was unlucky to miss All-Australian selection.

Now he is one of sport’s feel-good stories after battling enormous odds to earn a spot on an AFL list.

Ramsey was two-and-a-half when his mum noticed he couldn’t see properly.

The family flew him to Adelaide to see a specialist and he was diagnosed with retinoblastoma (cancer of the retina). He had surgery to remove the eye to stop the cancer spreading.

Despite having a prosthetic eye, Ramsey never gave up on his dream of playing AFL.

An elite kick and renowned hard worker who the Crows have pencilled in more as a key defender than forward, says his “setback’’ has just made him work harder to make up for any disadvantage he might have.

“I just work a lot harder, do the little extra things that perhaps others aren’t doing to put yourself ahead of the pack,’’ Ramsey said.

Keenan Ramsey in action for Sacred Heart College.

Adelaide recruiting manager Hamish Ogilvie does not believe the Crows have taken a risk in drafting Ramsey, having examined all of his testing from the AFL draft combine.

“It might actually work the other way and be a strength because it makes him concentrate harder and his defensive positioning is way more advanced than some defenders because he thinks about it, he knows where he has to get and he understands defensive craft really well for a young player,’’ Ogilvie said.

The news wasn’t so good for Crows wannabe Jonathon Beech.

After impressing Adelaide in a week-long training stint with the club last week, the West Adelaide mature-age forward was left devastated after the Crows failed to draft him with one of its three selections.

“The one sad part and downside (of Adelaide’s draft) is that you can’t pick everyone and I just feel for Jono Beech because he is such a great lad and he deserves a chance,’’ Ogilvie said.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t have any more picks and we couldn’t give him that chance.”