News spread quickly about Gisborne’s Patrick McKenna being drafted by Greater Western Sydney, with friends and family soon converging at his house.
It took some time, though, before McKenna realised he’d been drafted.
With the television coverage being on delay, it was via Twitter that McKenna and his family found out.
“I’m a bit stoked,” he told the Star Weekly.
“I definitely didn’t think I would go that high if at all.
“I thought I may have gone about pick 50 or with GWS’s pick 80.”
It has been a whirlwind couple of months for McKenna.
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Returning from captaining an Australian under-19 cricket tour of Sri Lanka, McKenna decided he wanted to focus on playing footy.
McKenna was on the Calder Cannons’ list earlier this year and was Gisborne’s leading goalkicker in the Bendigo Football League this season.
He kicked 45 goals in 18 games for the Bulldogs, including nine against Kangaroo Flat.
“It all started to happen once I got back from the tour,” McKenna said of his football dream.
“Clubs started to talk to me, but I didn’t think I was much chance of being drafted and was confident I would be playing with the Cannons next year.
“It’s very exciting that this has happened. I’m looking forward to starting my career.”
McKenna said he was prepared for the interstate move.
“They came out and spoke with me about how it works up at GWS and so it won’t be much of a surprise.”
He said being such a young group, it would aid in his development.
“The only direction is up for the club and I’m super excited to be part of it.”
McKenna will have a familiar face on the journey with him, with Cannons player Paul Ahern also joining GWS.
“We played in under-16 Cannons together,” he said.
