AFL draft: Oakleigh Chargers utility James Jordon recruited to Melbourne with pick No.33

Melbourne pulled one of the draft surprises when it recruited Oakleigh Chargers utility James Jordon after just seven TAC Cup games.

James Jordon (left) with Noah Answerth after the TAC Cup grand final. Picture: Michael Dodge/AFL Media

Melbourne draftee James Jordon uttered the words five times in a seven-minute interview.

“Just absolutely stoked.”

Little wonder. Jordon had hardly settled into his seat at his Yarrawonga home when the Demons called his name in Friday afternoon’s AFL draft.

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Jordon was one of the bolters in this year’s crop: he was cut by Sandringham Dragons in the pre-season, impressed at Caulfield Grammar in the private school competition before being pointed to Oakleigh Chargers.

He was so much a bolter the television broadcaster did not have a highlights package of the 186cm, 84kg utility.

Jordon only played his first TAC Cup game for the year in June and finished with just seven matches to his name, but Melbourne recruiters had seen enough to read out his name with pick No.33.

The 18-year-old also played three Ovens & Murray games for Yarrawonga in 2018, including the Pigeons’ elimination final.

“I had a bit of interest but definitely didn’t think I was going to go this early,” Jordon said just moments after his name was called.

“I was just hoping my name got called out somewhere along the line and to be called out at pick 33, just absolutely stoked.”

Jordon moved to Melbourne for VCE studies last year at the insistence of his mum, Prue.

“Mum’s sister went to boarding school at St Catherine’s and Mum has always been pretty keen for me to going down there,” he said.

“Mum didn’t get the opportunity to go down there but she’d always pushed for me to get down there and make the most of the opportunity and I think I’ve done that.”

Jordon said he was cut from Sandringham due to its abundance of top prospects.

“It was probably just more around the number of APS boys that they had,” he said.

“There were a few that were ahead of me they thought.”

Jordon in the end was picked ahead of a few of them. And isn’t he stoked.

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