AFL draft: Williamstown’s Ben Cavarra drafted by Western Bulldogs

After five years winning accolades in the TAC Cup and VFL, Ben Cavarra’s dream of being drafted to the AFL was fading. Recruiters whispered he might be too small for the big time. Then today all his dreams came true. This is his story.

The Western Bulldogs have drafted VFL star Ben Cavarra. Picture: Robert Prezioso

“And Ben Cavarra….’’

In the past few years no list of VFL draft hopefuls has been complete without mention of the little left-footer.

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This afternoon the 22-year-old’s ambition to rise to an AFL list was realised when the Western Bulldogs took Cavarra with selection 45 in the national draft.

Ben Cavarra on the ball for Frankston. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Cavarra confided this morning that he had spoken to a few clubs.

“Reckon it could be it,’’ he said, adding that he was “nervous, anxious and excited all in one …. fingers crossed’’.

Cavarra was a dominant player for Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup, winning the 2012 and ‘13 best and fairests and the Morrish Medal in 2013.

There was also a TAC Cup Medal as best-afield in the grand final.

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Overlooked for the draft, he spent the next three years at Frankston Dolphins, winning two more best and fairests and being runner-up in the other season.

There was no more decorated young footballer in the land. But there was no elevation to the AFL either. “Might be a bit too small,’’ the recruiters would whisper when asked about 175cm Cavarra. It was a knock he was incapable of answering.

When the Dolphins lost their VFL licence in 2017 Cavarra crossed to Williamstown, where he has played more as a pressure-applying small forward, a process that began under Patrick Hill at Frankston in 2016.

He kicked 32 goals last year and 34 this year, gaining nine mentions in the best.

Ben Cavarra battling it out for Vic Metro against WA’s Dom Sheed.

An invitation to the “Rookie Me’’ testing this year raised hopes there was interest in him. He had known disappointment before and was taking nothing for granted.

Now he’s a Bulldog — and as a Bulldogs supporter former Frankston coach Simon Goosey couldn’t be happier.

Cavarra was 18 when he won Frankston’s 2014 best and fairest.

Goosey remembers his disappointment at missing out on the 2013 draft, but also his determination to improve.

“He’s persevered, the kid,’’ Goosey said this afternoon.

“What, five years in the VFL? Yeah, just kept working away at it, never giving up, pushing hard. You have to be rapt to see a kid like that get drafted. His phone would be running hot at the moment because everyone who comes across him, loves him.’’

Two other Williamstown players were drafted today, with Brett Bewley and Lachie Schultz off to Fremantle.

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