AFL draft: Northern Knights Tom McKenzie a North Melbourne rookie
OVERLOOKED in the AFL national draft, but headed to North Melbourne as a rookie, Tom McKenzie described his draft experience as the “worst and best day of my life”.
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TOM McKenzie described it as the “worst and best day of my life”.
Hours after the pacy Northern Knights midfielder was surprisingly overlooked in the AFL national draft, McKenzie was selected by North Melbourne at pick no. 10 in Friday’s rookie draft.
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“It’s been a pretty long day, starting from the national draft and to the end of that,” McKenzie said.
“To the point where I lost a bit of faith, whether I was going to get picked up this year.
“To get the surprise of getting picked up in the rookie, that’s just made my day and I am absolutely over the moon.”
McKenzie had long been considered the Knights’ top draft prospect, with some projections he would be chosen in the top 30 selections on Friday.
Instead, he endured a nervous wait between the national and rookie drafts, faced with the prospect his draft dream could be dashed.
“It was about a three-hour wait and that three hours felt like an eternity. I just watched a movie, tried to distract myself,” he said.
“I thought (the draft) was at six o’clock and it ended up that it got pushed a bit earlier.
“I didn’t see my name come up and I started getting all these messages and calls. It was actually a really good surprise.”
A pacey half-backer with elite pace, Tom McKenzie was the fastest player in the NAB AFL Draft Combine earlier this year.
— North Melbourne (@NMFCOfficial) November 23, 2018
We picked him up with our first pick in Friday's Rookie Draft.
Check out some of his best highlights. #AFLDraft #BeAShinboner pic.twitter.com/1TWxUF0yC4
The Fitzroy Junior Football Club product passed the time between drafts watching Geostorm, a natural disaster film with the appropriate tagline Brave the Storm.
Fortunately, McKenzie’s day ended on a happier note when North Melbourne pounced.
“I didn’t want to hear from anyone at the end of the national and didn’t want to hear anything,” he said.
“I just had my phone basically off. Then I got the text from (my manager) and it all happened from there.
“I turned my internet on and I started getting messages galore from everyone. It was really great.”
McKenzie averaged 23 disposals, five marks and four tackles in seven TAC Cup matches this year, underlining his versatility by transitioning to an inside-mid role.
“I think his ability to play outside and then shift to the inside is really important in the modern game,” Knights talent manager Rhy Gieschen said.
“First couple of years at an AFL club he would be more of a wing/ halfback.
“But as he continues to get bigger and stronger I could definitely see him going inside and playing as a genuine midfielder as well.”
Fitzroy JFC president Phil Murdoch said McKenzie’s innate ability to attract the footy had been evident from a young age.
“He just seemed to always get the ball and knew where the ball was,” he said.
“He could read where the ball was going to be. I think that’s the secret with some of these guys, they just get it.
“Whether it’s intuition, I don’t know. Tom knows where the ball is going to be.”
McKenzie met Roos legend and AFL games record holder Brent Harvey the day after being selected and will embark on his first AFL pre-season from Monday.
“They’ve told me it doesn’t matter if you’re a rookie or a national, you come in and you are on the same level playing field as everyone,” he said.
“Like every new player you come in, try and earn your stripes and hopefully build your way into getting into the senior team.”
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