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TALENTED teenager Will Setterfield admits the prospect of being taken with the No.1 pick in Friday's NAB AFL Draft is adding a touch of anxiety to the biggest week of his football life.
Setterfield, one of the most complete midfielders in this year's pool, is a Greater Western Sydney academy player, but in recent weeks has attracted attention from Essendon – the side he supported as a kid – which will kick off this year's selections in Sydney.
The Giants could match the Bombers' bid for the gun from Albury if he does jump to the top of the queue, and having the tag of the nation's best young player on his shoulders will increase the pressure on Setterfield.
But the Sandringham onballer told AFL.com.au on Tuesday that it's all part of the build-up.
"It adds a bit more anxiety, but I guess it also adds a bit more of the unknown on the night, and a bit more excitement," he said.
"I grew up barracking for the club so it is very exciting in that way.
"It would be a great honour to go No.1 but there's so many great players that could get picked first, so we really don't know what's going to happen.
"I'm just looking forward to the night; if it happened it would be great, but if it doesn't I'm not too fussed.
"It's pretty exciting just thinking about training with AFL players and living in that elite environment, it's a great opportunity.
"It's been a long year and I can't wait to get started."
Setterfield's immense potential and talent has been somewhat overshadowed by injury concerns over the past two seasons, with a knee complaint affecting his output in 2015, and concussion, foot and shoulder problems causing him to miss plenty of footy this year.
It won't be enough to scare off his potential recruiters however, and the kid who has named Western Bulldogs premiership star Marcus Bontempelli as a player he would like to model his game on, brushed off any doubts over his body's ability to handle the rigours of the AFL.
"You probably shouldn't worry about that sort of stuff because you'll get too worried about playing," he said.
"I'm not worried about it at all.
"I've had my injuries now and hopefully I get better luck going forward.
"Once I get into an AFL environment it'll make life a lot easier in terms of recovery and having access to medical staff and that sort of thing.
"Whichever club I go to, they'll get the shoulder checked out to see whether or not I'm ready to start contact work.
"I think I'll be right to go."
Setterfield will be in familiar company at the Giants, having played underage footy with last year's academy draftees Jacob Hopper and Matthew Kennedy, and with more academy GWS talent set to join the club via the draft.
