Over the course of 2020, NAB followed four young players on their journey to the NAB AFLW and AFL Drafts. This is Ellie McKenzie’s story.
IT WAS THE night of the 2020 NAB AFLW Draft, and Ellie McKenzie's mum Sue Clark had a secret.
After months of speculation, she knew the Northern Knights co-captain would be selected with pick No.1 by Richmond.
Clark managed to keep a poker face for the entire week, letting McKenzie experience the nerves and resultant joy of the lead-up and the draft itself.
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"Guess what? I knew all the time. How good am I?" Clark told McKenzie, after the latter had finished a video call with new skipper Katie Brennan.
"Holding that inside in front of Ellie and knowing I couldn't show the excitement – hanging onto it for a week, was pretty difficult," she said.
"I knew in the long run, it would have been better to see her reactions, and I think that proved the right decision."
NAB followed McKenzie's draft year through the ups and downs of COVID-19, and has detailed the close relationship she has with her dad Rob and brother Tom on the back of football.
