Irving Mosquito excited to arrive at Essendon in national draft
The Mosquito has landed. Essendon welcomed its four draftees at Tullamarine today, with Irving Mosquito causing a buzz already. TRAINING PHOTOS
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The Mosquito has landed.
Essendon welcomed its four draftees at Tullamarine today, with Irving Mosquito causing a buzz already.
The excited – and nervous – teenager was taken at pick 38 by the Bombers on Friday having watched the draft at his second home in Gippsland, where he played TAC Cup with the Power.
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And while the Kimberley product admits he is still adjusting to Melbourne life – and weather – he can’t wait to get stuck into life as an AFL player.
“I’m ready to get going,” he said with a beaming smile.
“I’m just keen for preseason and excited to be here.”
Bombers star Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti – who also lived in and played for Gippsland as a teenager – is a favourite, with Mosquito already taking the opportunity to meet his new teammate this morning.
“I love him and I love how he goes,” he said.
“I had a chat to him this morning when I came in, so I was pretty happy. I had a big smile.”
Mosquito, 18, moved from Halls Creek – almost 700km east of Broome – to Victoria when he was 11, with his family still back home in the Western Australia community.
He has moved in with new teammate Orazio Fantasia while things get sorted, and said he believed having spent his teenage years living away from home would stand him in good stead.
But city life is a whole different kettle of fish to Gippsland for the teen, whose shivers were evident on a chilly morning in Tullamarine.
“It’s way different (living in the city), seeing everyone around,” he said.
“It’s a way different lifestyle. It’s pretty cool. Sometimes I’m really cold.”
He said he was proud to be joining a club with such a strong connection to the indigenous community and that he had smiled when he saw the statue of Michael Long at the club’s front door, but is expecting some fun from commentators with his unique name.
But there’s one thing to remember – he doesn’t play like anyone else, “just Irving Mosquito”.
“Yeah, I reckon (Bruce) McAvaney will have a bit of an impact with my last name,” he said.
“(My nickname is) just Mozzie, I don’t mind that.”
As the draftees settled in, Essendon trained with forward Joe Daniher completing running drills as he continued his rehabilitation program.
Jok, 21, previously played at VAFA club St Kevin’s before a stint at Collingwood VFL. He also trained with St Kilda in recent weeks but said to land at Essendon — the club he has long supported — was a dream.
The Sudan-born tall said he had kept an eye on the likes of Majak Daw and Aliir Aliir in recent years and hoped to serve asa role model for his community.
“It means a lot,” he said.
“I’ve been getting a lot of messages. I’ll certainly try my best to be the best role model I can be and the best individual I can be.”
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