When Ryan Williams didn’t hear his name called by pick 70 at least year’s NAB AFL Draft, the Power recruit began looking through the newspaper to see how the process worked.

But 13 picks later, the 18-year-old Victorian put down the paper and packed his bags for the move to Port Adelaide.

“It was getting late in the draft, Trav (Boak) had already gone to Port and a few of my other friends had gone too and I was left there. I was the only other player from Geelong who would probably be picked up so to finally hear my name called out and especially by the club where Trav was headed was very exciting,” Williams says.

The 90kg defender showcased impressive form over the pre-season for SANFL club Central Districts. Williams played alongside fellow Power teammate Justin Westhoff, who booted five goals in the Dogs’ win over West Adelaide on Saturday.

“My pre-season and games with Centrals before this weekend have been pretty good, so I’m quite happy with myself overall. On Saturday I started on the bench and didn’t get a run until the second quarter. I played the last quarter but I wasn’t really happy with my performance.”

Williams was more impressed by the AFL debuts of fellow first-year players Nathan Krakouer and Adam Cockshell, although he didn’t catch the whole game.

“We (Centrals) were playing at the same time but I managed to get back in time to see the second half. It was pretty exciting with the comeback win.”

“It’s great to see Krakouer, Cockshell and Rodan get out there. We all came to Port Adelaide at the same time and it gives our young pups group a bit of a lift to keep working hard, knowing we might get our chance this year too.”

Another of the impressive Power first-year players, or ‘pups’ as they are known around the club, is Williams’ long-time mate Travis Boak. Drafted from Geelong together, the pair now share the same host family. Boak came to Port Adelaide with huge wraps as the No.5 draft pick and has already had a taste of AFL footy over the pre-season.

While Boak has enjoyed immediate near-superstar status, the laidback Williams is quite happy to slip under the radar of the football world and just concentrate on his game.

“A few guys told me not to worry about what number I had gone in the draft, because it doesn’t mean anything now. We’re all in the same boat. Trav gets a bit more exposure and as much as I’d love to be in that position it doesn’t worry me too much. I’m just here to play football and get the job done.”

But don’t imagine all this means he’s about to play second fiddle to Boak around the house.

“He (Boak) tries to get me to do his washing, but his girlfriend is coming over from Victoria tonight so she can do his washing for two weeks,” Williams jokes.

Williams will also host some visitors over the weekend with his parents coming to town to watch him play in the opening round of the SANFL.

“I spoke to mum straight after the game on Saturday, because I was pretty disappointed with how I played. It was probably my worst game in two years, but she comforted me and helped me through it. I speak to them three or four times a week, so seeing them this weekend will be good.”

Despite coming over from Victoria, the Williams family aren’t strangers to the Central Districts Football Club. As well as already knowing Power teammates Brad Symes, Jon Giles and Justin Westhoff, Williams had some close ties at Elizabeth.

“I’ve known the Gowans boys (James and Chris) for as long as I can remember and also Reece Woods, who is a Geelong boy, so I wanted to go to Centrals when I came over.”

“My parents and the Gowans family are pretty good family friends. Their father is the President of the Anglesea Football Club, where I’m from, and my dad is the Treasurer so I’ve been around them a fair bit. We used to kick the footy together and it was the Gowans who taught me to kick left foot.”

Williams says his friendship with Centrals’ club stalwarts James and Chris Gowans made the transition from AFL to SANFL that much easier. Although training at Centrals just once a week means it has taken some of his other teammates a bit longer to work him out.

“A lot of the Centrals guys are scared of the Gowans, so when I just walked in and started giving them a ribbing the other players were looking at me thinking, ‘what is this new guy doing? He hardly knows them’.”