Collingwood rookie Sharrod Wellingham made quite an impression with a very strong showing against Sydney last Friday, and spoke to CTV about his first AFL pre-season and making it in the big time.

The 18-year old from the Perth Football Club was the Magpies' first selection in the 2006 Rookie Draft at No.10 overall.

With his skill and pace, Wellingham has been able to make an early impact playing on the wing, even if the standard is substantially better than anything he's experienced in the past.

"It's been a bit of a big step really, from playing WAFL footy back home, and an even bigger step from when I played a VFL game at Williamstown a couple of weeks ago now", Wellingham said at the Lexus Centre on Tuesday.

For many young footballers making the big move interstate to chase their AFL dream is extremely daunting, however Wellingham has taken it all in his stride thanks mainly to lots of support from the club, something that reflects accurately on his unflappable nature.

“Yeah it's been a big move, but it's been made easy by the club and the guys I'm living with, so I've got really good blokes I'm living with. I'm living with Nick Maxwell and Sean Rusling who are really making it quite easy for myself.

“I suppose Nick (Maxwell) has probably made it the easiest, he's making me welcome everywhere I go and looking after me, there's Bucks (Nathan Buckley), and Licca (Paul Licuria) is a great bloke, and I've been talking to Lones (Ryan Lonie) a fair bit because he plays a wing, running role as well.

“Yeah it is, it's good, I've got a lot of good advice and even all the other guys that I don't really play the same role as, like Burnsy (Scott Burns) and Obes (Shane O’Bree) have been really good as well.”

As a rookie-listed player the 184-centimetre Wellingham won’t be able to play senior football until promoted to the senior list, but if he keeps progressing and developing like he did against the Swans in Narrandera, who’s to say it won’t happen.

“My goals for this weekend (against Richmond in a practice match in Mildura) are hopefully to get a game, hopefully after last week I put my name up there, build on last week's performance, and then get back to Williasmtown after that and put in a good season… then try and get a crack in the seniors.”