JY FARRAR did not have to look far for inspiration to believe one day he could make it to the AFL.
When his name was read out by Gold Coast with pick No.60 at last week's NAB AFL Draft, Farrar added to the Halls Creek production line that dominates the League.
He is one of eight players currently on a list – as well as AFLW player Krstel Petrevski - from the remote town of 3200 people in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Newly drafted AFLW Demon Krstel Petrevski. Picture: AFL Photos
And like many from Halls Creek before him, Farrar has done some serious travelling to reach his ultimate football dream, playing in three states prior to the Suns selecting him.
"It was unreal, just happiness," Farrar told AFL.com.au of his drafting.
"When my name got called out it was overwhelming joy. My friends were stoked, my family was stoked."
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That family includes not only his parents and siblings, but first cousin Shane McAdam, who 12 months earlier found his way to Adelaide.
Despite being just 18 months older than Farrar, McAdam has been a role model of sorts, blazing a trail for his younger cousin to follow.
Farrar boarded at Perth's Hale School for five years, and after returning to Halls Creek for a year, wanted to spread his wings and explore how far footy could take him.
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So, the politely spoken Farrar took a 16-hour bus ride to Darwin, flew to Melbourne and then got the train to Wangaratta to play with the Hawks.
His next move was following McAdam's earlier footsteps to the Adelaide amateurs league for Scotch Old Collegians, where he then spring-boarded to two senior SANFL games for Adelaide.
"Playing AFL was always in my thinking," he said.
"Once the boys (from Halls Creek) started getting picked up, I thought it could be possible and something I could pull off.
Once I won my first B&F in Wangaratta I thought 'I could probably do this', so I started taking it more seriously, trained harder and started eating right. - Jy Farrar
Farrar is also first cousins with Carlton's Sam Petrevski-Seton and Melbourne's Toby Bedford, and knows Brisbane's Cedric Cox well – the two families lived together in Perth at one stage.
But it was McAdam he really looked up to.
"We started from the same spot in Halls Creek, doing nothing, and he took off and I thought 'Wow, this is something I can do'.
"He's definitely a role model … he showed me it was possible."
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Farrar is blessed with great breakaway speed – he clocked a 2.90sec 20m sprint and 8.18sec agility test at the South Australian State Combine.
"I'm determined, hard-working, I'm a good bloke, I stick to things and I pride myself on respect," he said.
"Now I just want to make the most of my chance."
