David Mirra was ready to give up on AFL dream before finally receiving opportunity at Hawthorn

AT 26 years of age David Mirra was finally ready to give up on the hope of playing AFL footy, that was until Hawthorn, a club he has trained at with Box Hill, finally came calling — literally.

At 26 David Mirra finally has his AFL opportunity. Picture: Stuart Walmsley

HAWTHORN rookie David Mirra has revealed he all but gave up on his AFL dream before the Hawks finally took a punt on him in the rookie draft.

The 26-year-old was selected by the Hawks with pick No.23 on Monday, with the 186cm defender to add depth to the club’s defensive stocks after being depleted this year as injury struck down the now-retired Josh Gibson, James Frawley and Ben Stratton.

Mirra first nominated for the draft in 2009 after playing in the TAC Cup for Eastern Ranges but was overlooked.

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By his own admission he tested “poorly” at the draft combine in the beep test, with the knock on him his endurance for a youngster playing on the wing.

He turned his attention to the VFL and signed with Box Hill, Hawthorn’s VFL affiliate, and stuck it out with the Hawks before finally, eight years later, receiving his opportunity.

It came just in time too, with the defender all but giving up on his AFL dream before the Hawks came calling — literally.

All the hard work has finally paid off for David Mirra. Picture: Michael Klein

“It’s been a great journey but all the while there have been disappointments and heartbreak in missing out at the draft,” Mirra said.

“I set myself to play AFL footy and when that didn’t happen year on year, and the fact I was getting older, I probably thought to myself that this was it.

“My career outside of footy was progressing and I’ve had other things going on in my life, so I was trying to shut the door on the AFL.

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“When Graham Wright called med two weeks before the AFL draft, it was a pretty surreal feeling and I actually laughed on the phone because I thought he was calling me to speak about one of the other players at Box Hill like a Sam Switkowski who went to Freo or Chris Jones, Anthony Brolic and other guys that were in contention.”

Mirra was at Waverley Park with his Box Hill teammates for the rookie draft on Monday and was overcome with emotion when his name was finally called.

David Mirra can play tall and small. Picture: Brendan Francis

David Mirra spoils while playing for Box Hill. Picture: Steve Tanner

He won a premiership in the VFL in 2013, when Hawthorn achieved the VFL/AFL double, and that was the moment he realised hard work does pay off.

After playing TAC Cup as a midfielder, Mirra moved into defence at Box Hill and felt comfortable almost immediately and developed into an all-rounder who can play both tall and small, similar to new teammate Ben Stratton.

“I was always more suited to a defensive role and when I got to Box Hill I played halfback or as that third tall and sometimes as a key back and felt more comfortable and developed my fitness,” Mirra told SEN.

“As your body becomes more mature you become more resilient to certain training loads and I just put my head down and worked hard.

David Mirra won a VFL flag with Box Hill in 2013. Picture: Michael Klein

At 26 David Mirra finally has his AFL opportunity. Picture: Stuart Walmsley

“What changed it around for me was 2013. I worked really hard and we ended up winning a VFL premiership and that for me was the realisation that all this hard work does actually have a reward on the end of it.”

While he has achieved one part of his dream — getting onto an AFL list — there is still more to come and more to do before he’s satisfied.

“I’ve still got a lot of hard work to go and I realise that, I’ve just been listed and everything at the moment is really exciting and I’m grateful but the hardest challenge for me now is, whilst I’m in the AFL system, it’s really making a go of it,” Mirra said.

“I really want to just go out and get my first AFL game and give it a red-hot crack and hopefully I’m here for the next five or six years.”