WILL Brodie sat in the Simonds Stadium stands for the final game of last year's NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, when his Vic Country team completed its clean sweep of the division one title.
Despite not being eligible for the draft until 2016, the midfielder had been an important part of his team's success, showing himself to be a tough, clean ball-winner who loved nothing more than going hard at a contest.
But Brodie, then still 16, was desperate to play in the final game, collect his championship medallion and hold the cup aloft with his teammates. So when talent manager Leon Harris delivered the news days before that he would be left out of the final game so some top-age players could be brought back, Brodie took it in.
"He said 'It's not your turn, mate, so just wait for next year'," Brodie told AFL.com.au.
"Sometimes I can get a little impatient, particularly as I felt I deserved to be in there and playing. But I've been waiting since then, and this year's carnival is here now.
"I played some good footy last year, but I always knew that this year would be most important. It's my turn to step up."
Brodie has already done that, even though the most important section of the season – the under-18 carnival – only begins this weekend.
The Murray Bushranger's form in April, when the NAB AFL Academy took on two VFL teams, elevated him to be a contender for the No.1 pick in what shapes as an unusually open race.
Brodie was judged best afield against Werribee's VFL team at the MCG when he gathered 20 disposals and a goal, and backed it up the following week when he moved to half-back and collected 22 touches. He approached the games wanting to make a statement, and delivered.
"I understood the importance of it, having seen some of the players who played well last year getting drafted early and already playing at AFL level and doing well," he said.
"I am pretty determined to be in that top bracket this year, so it was definitely something I was looking for. I hadn't had much experience against senior players, so to do well was exciting."
Brodie is a player in control. His size (189cm and 82kg) makes him a difficult midfield match-up, and he isn't bothered by physicality: he likes to throw himself at the ball, win it, and then do it again.
He's also intent on getting better. On afternoons when he doesn't have TAC Cup, Vic Country or school duties, he heads to Richmond to train with the Tigers' VFL squad. He uses the Punt Road facilities for ice baths, recovery and everything in between, and speaks with the club's recruiters about where and how to improve.
Brodie is linked to Richmond via the Murray Bushrangers, who have an alignment with the club. The 17-year-old grew up in Shepparton before moving to Melbourne to take up a scholarship at Scotch College at the start of year 10.
The change was difficult to begin with; he barely knew anyone there, and arrived on crutches nursing a broken foot. "I had to get myself around, it's a massive school and I had no idea where I was going," he said.
At Scotch he got to know Jy Simpkin, who he had grown up playing against as a rival at Mooroopna in country Victoria. They put aside their early-teenage rivalry to become close friends, playing together in the carnival last year and travelling to America in January with the NAB AFL Academy.
They were excited to play a final season together at junior level this year, but Simpkin's broken leg in Scotch's first game of the season ended his year before it even really begun.
Brodie was out on the ground when his friend went down screaming in agony, and found it hard to concentrate on the game when the ambulance arrived to take Simpkin to hospital. Since then, he has found ways to use Simpkin's injury as inspiration.
"Going through the pre-season with him and knowing how much work he'd put into his year and then seeing it taken away from him affected me a fair bit," Brodie said.
Will Brodie is linked to Richmond via the Murray Bushrangers. Picture: AFL Media
"I feel as though I'm playing footy for him in part this year because of all the work we've helped each other with across the years. I feel sorry for him, but I've been able to draw a fair bit of motivation out of it. His spirits are good now, and that's making it easier for both of us."
Still, Brodie's competitive instincts can't be subdued. He and Simpkin pushed each other by setting challenges in every department; to see who could lift more in the gym, run quicker, run longer.
Brodie has always been this way. When he used to go swimming with his older brother Sam, Sam would say he was going to do 20 laps. Will wouldn't get out of the pool until he'd done 25.
He takes the same approach into his footy. And rather than withdrawing from the discussion about being a likely early draft pick, he has embraced it. Brodie sees the championships as an opportunity to again prove his wares as one of the top midfielders available.
"I want to go as early as I possibly can in the draft because I want to be the best player in the draft, and that's something that drives me," Brodie said.
"When I see other players, I always want to be better than them or beat them and compete against them. That's something I enjoy and the thing about footy I love – that competitive side of it.
"Since I watched it as a kid I've always been looking forward to playing as a top-ager in the under-18 championships, and now it's my go. I've been counting down the days."
