IT WAS the change of direction that changed Taj Hotton's direction. In a training run for school team Haileybury College in May, the talented draft prospect was in for a tough session. He had the coming weekend off for a bye, had been managing a foot injury and was ready for a heavier training load. 

"I was feeling a bit unfit and wanted to hit the track pretty hard. I went all right and got the ball, took a few bounces going forward and was going as quick as I could. I tried to change direction as I was about to kick and then someone came towards me," Hotton told AFL.com.au. 

"As I put my foot down it slipped and I collapsed on my knee. It all felt slow motion. I felt my knee shift out and a bit of a pop. I didn't know what an ACL felt like, but I thought if anything, that's what it would be."

That's what it was, with scans later confirming the Sandringham Dragons talent would miss the remainder of his draft season. He had surgery a month later after needing to wait for his swelling to dissipate. 

"It probably took me a few days to come to the realisation what had happened and accept my circumstances. But the night I did it and the next few days I had heaps of messages from clubs, teammates, recruiters," he said.

"That was really reassuring and it helped me mentally. I was grateful I actually got to play some footy this year because if I had have done the injury a few months prior it could have been a very different position for me. 

"I changed my focus to thinking 'How can I make this injury something I come back from stronger?' I want to come back a better athlete than I was."

Recent follow-up surgery, which is relatively common for those coming back from knee reconstructions, has slightly pushed back his next milestone – to get back running – but Hotton is taking a patient approach. "We were hoping maybe four more weeks as a rough plan so it's taken it's time but I have to be cautious with it. What's an extra few weeks to an injury that takes a year already?" he said.

Clubs had already got a strong idea of Hotton the player. Last year, he performed as a bottom-ager, producing exciting moments closer to goal. 

But at the beginning of this season he became a rangy, impactful midfielder with agility, spark and creativity. The 182cm talent's best-on-ground performance for the Dragons against Oakleigh in round two, when he kicked four goals from 32 disposals, was the standout game but not a one-off. Clubs see him starting his career in attack before progressing further up the ground.

"I'd like to be a midfielder. That's the end goal and that's where I can do most damage," he said.

The 18-year-old has taken comfort from seeing younger players return from ACL injuries to show their talents on the big stage. Will Ashcroft's recovery from a knee reconstruction to being the Norm Smith medallist this year was remarkable, while a young Giant's back-like-it-never-happened return has also given him confidence.

"There's been a few blokes I've looked up to and been inspired by. Ashcroft is of course one with the way he's returned – he's come back better than what he was before. Then Darcy Jones did his knee and he's still the most agile player in the League," he said.

"That was probably my biggest worry because my agility is probably something that sets me apart a little bit. I'm watching how Darcy Jones has come back and it's given me a lot of confidence that if I put the work in I'll be better than I was before."

An extra challenge of being sidelined this year was the games Hotton knew he'd be missing – winning the under-18 championships with Vic Metro and the Dragons' Coates Talent League premiership, while also being unavailable for Haileybury's pursuit of a flag. 

He had coach Matthew Lloyd and assistant Scott Pendlebury at school level find him roles to help, while he also already had strong AFL links to lean on, with older brother Olli at the end of his second season with St Kilda and father Trent a former player with Carlton and Collingwood, where he played 78 games. 

Hotton was pushing to be a top-10 selection such was the excitement around his start to the season, but the knee injury adds some mystery to where he will land, albeit clubs still expect him to slot into the first round. 

"I've learned about my optimism and my way to find the light in bad situations. I hadn't really faced much adversity in my footy and I struggled with it early, but I managed to find my light and pushed my attention to how I could make it a good thing," he said. "I'd be happy to go anywhere."