You couldn’t wipe the smile off Darcy MacPherson’s face on Friday morning, after the Northern Knights midfielder was drafted by the Gold Coast Suns.
Having been overlooked in Tuesday’s AFL National Draft, MacPherson was hoping the rookie draft would see his turn to be selected.
The Suns pounced on MacPherson, selecting him with pick 21.
“I’m in the best mood ever,” Macpherson said Friday morning.
“It’s unreal and I’m still pinching myself that my dream of being on an AFL list has come true.
“I can’t wait to get up there and start training.”
MacPherson knew the Suns had showed some interest in him going into the draft, but was unsure whether they would select him.
“My manager felt like Gold Coast Suns were the ones the most interested,” he said.
“After combine I had an interview with them and answered a lot of questions, but they never rang me or told me they were going to select me.”
Friday morning’s reaction was long way from Tuesday night when MacPherson watched as four of his Knights’ teammates get drafted.
He said his manager had rated him a 50-50 chance of being selected in the first of the two drafts.
“I was a bit flat,” MacPherson said.
“I thought I was a chance to be selected knowing some clubs were interested. I turned my attention to the rookie draft.”
Part of that process was MacPherson training with VFL club, the Northern Blues, on Wednesday night, at the insistence of his father Stephen.
Stephen played 188 games for the Western Bulldogs. The Dogs had elected not to pick Darcy under the father-son rule.
“Dad was like you have to focus on your back up plan if you don’t make it,” MacPherson said.
“I got to training and got my head around where things were at. I was still hoping to be picked up.”
MacPherson said both his parents were emotional when they found out he had been drafted.
“Dad was at work and he rang me and I could hear his voice cracking up. Mum was in tears. They are so proud of me accomplishing my dream.”
The 18-year-old won’t be alone in making the trip to the Gold Coast, with one of his best mates Brayden Fiorini joining him.
Fiorini was taken by the Suns with pick 20 in the national draft.
“Brayden is already up there and I’ve gone all the way through school and Knights football with him. He is one of my best mates.
“To know someone who you are close with and be able to talk things through will make it easier.”
