Crisp was thrown an AFL lifeline by the Lions when the Club drafted him with their third selection (Pick No.40 overall) at the 2011 AFL Rookie Draft - almost three weeks after he was surprisingly overlooked at the National Draft.
In 2011, he represented Victoria Country in the AFL U18 National Championships, won the Murray Bushrangers’ Best & Fairest Award and was named in the TAC Cup Team of the Year.
But despite his accomplishments, it took more than 120 selections before the 18 year-old eventually made it onto an AFL list.
The similarities between his and Lions midfielder Tom Rockliff’s paths to the Club are hard to ignore.
Rockliff also headed into the Draft after a standout TAC Cup season which saw him claim the Murray Bushrangers' Best & Fairest Award and earn selection in the Team of the Year.
Largely touted as a potential top 30 prospect, Rockliff was overlooked by every AFL club at the 2009 AFL National Draft.
Despite the initial disappointment of missing out, Rockliff was invited to train with Melbourne during the pre-season before eventually getting picked up by the Lions in the Pre-Season Draft.
Like Rockliff, Crisp’s eventual recruitment to the Lions came somewhat as a surprise considering he had been training with St Kilda over the past two weeks.
“They didn’t really give me any indication they would pick me,” Crisp told local newspaper The Border Mail.
“But I was pretty happy when I saw my name come up.”
History has shown that Rockliff went on to be named in the Lions’ Leadership Group and win the Merrett-Murray Medal as Club Best & Fairest in just his third season.
Rockliff’s achievements will now help spur his fellow ‘Bushie’ on to proving that the Lions made the right decision.
“I’m pretty relieved and excited,” Crisp said.
“I was a bit disappointed to miss out (at the National Draft), but I just looked at the Rookie Draft as another chance.”
“Seeing what Tom did gave me something to strive for and I’m just looking forward to getting to Brisbane.”
While doubters were said to have initially overlooked Rockliff due to his supposed lack of endurance, it was Crisp’s kicking skills that apparently raised some concern with AFL recruiters.
But Lions National Talent Manager Rob Kerr believes that is something that can be rectified with some specialist coaching.
“One of the reasons he slipped through is his kicking can be a bit untidy at times, but the Rookie Draft is about working with kids who have got some areas they need to clean up and helping them,” Kerr said.
