NEW RECRUIT Jesse Hogan, who will officially be on the club’s list in 2014, says he was shocked Melbourne snapped him up after he didn’t believe the red and blue was initially interested in him.
Hogan met the Demons at last week’s NAB AFL Draft Combine and afterwards didn’t believe his AFL career would be at the club.
But, after the Dees kept their cards close to their chest with Hogan, they pounced on him as a pre-listed Greater Western Sydney selection. The Demons also claimed pick No. 20 in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft and Northern Territory zone selection Dominic Barry. In exchange, the Demons gave GWS choices No. 3 and No. 13.
“It was a pretty exciting week [at the Draft Combine] - I’ve never seen that many recruiters at the one time. But I honestly didn’t think Melbourne would take me at all. I didn’t think they were interested,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“But when I met Melbourne and I walked in, Mark Neeld was fairly straight up and he wanted to know the answers to his questions. But I didn’t think they looked too interested, to be honest.
“And then I met some other clubs and I had no idea what was going to go on, but it was only yesterday (Monday) when Mark Neeld gave me a call and told me and it happened so quickly.”
The 17 year-old Western Australian, who has been likened to Jonathan Brown and Matthew Pavlich as a player, said he now couldn’t wait to cross the Nullarbor Plain and start his new life in Melbourne.
“I’m very excited about the whole situation, and I’m looking forward to moving to the heart of footy,” he said.
“I won’t be able to play [in the AFL next year], but I’ll be a year ahead of the rest of the kids.
“I’ll have a year of knowledge and be able to train against bigger bodies, so it’s an amazing opportunity.”
Hogan, who is the youngest of four children by 12 years, said he comes from a pretty close Adelaide Crows supporting family, who are very supportive of his move to Melbourne.
“I went for Adelaide because my family is from Adelaide and my Dad sucked into everyone barracking for the Crows,” he said.
Despite making the under 16 Western Australian basketball squad, Hogan said football soon became his greatest sporting passion.
“Football wasn’t my first choice of sport. I played basketball and cricket and then as I got older [I found] cricket got boring and a lot of my mates played footy,” he said.
“I also got a bit bored with basketball and I always played a bit of footy, but then I started getting serious. I got into a few academies and then I made the under 16s and AIS Academy squad, and then under 18s.
“I only expected to play a few games, but I started to play a bit better and I got stronger and I got some confidence - and then had a pretty good carnival.”
Although Hogan will be training with the Demons next year in readiness to be listed in 2014, he said he was rapt to have a year on his contemporaries.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how the players go about things and getting more knowledge about the game and watching Melbourne play,” he said.
“Hopefully, I’ll get a head start on the boys who will be drafted next year.”
Hogan met the Demons at last week’s NAB AFL Draft Combine and afterwards didn’t believe his AFL career would be at the club.
But, after the Dees kept their cards close to their chest with Hogan, they pounced on him as a pre-listed Greater Western Sydney selection. The Demons also claimed pick No. 20 in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft and Northern Territory zone selection Dominic Barry. In exchange, the Demons gave GWS choices No. 3 and No. 13.
“It was a pretty exciting week [at the Draft Combine] - I’ve never seen that many recruiters at the one time. But I honestly didn’t think Melbourne would take me at all. I didn’t think they were interested,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“But when I met Melbourne and I walked in, Mark Neeld was fairly straight up and he wanted to know the answers to his questions. But I didn’t think they looked too interested, to be honest.
“And then I met some other clubs and I had no idea what was going to go on, but it was only yesterday (Monday) when Mark Neeld gave me a call and told me and it happened so quickly.”
The 17 year-old Western Australian, who has been likened to Jonathan Brown and Matthew Pavlich as a player, said he now couldn’t wait to cross the Nullarbor Plain and start his new life in Melbourne.
“I’m very excited about the whole situation, and I’m looking forward to moving to the heart of footy,” he said.
“I won’t be able to play [in the AFL next year], but I’ll be a year ahead of the rest of the kids.
“I’ll have a year of knowledge and be able to train against bigger bodies, so it’s an amazing opportunity.”
Hogan, who is the youngest of four children by 12 years, said he comes from a pretty close Adelaide Crows supporting family, who are very supportive of his move to Melbourne.
“I went for Adelaide because my family is from Adelaide and my Dad sucked into everyone barracking for the Crows,” he said.
Despite making the under 16 Western Australian basketball squad, Hogan said football soon became his greatest sporting passion.
“Football wasn’t my first choice of sport. I played basketball and cricket and then as I got older [I found] cricket got boring and a lot of my mates played footy,” he said.
“I also got a bit bored with basketball and I always played a bit of footy, but then I started getting serious. I got into a few academies and then I made the under 16s and AIS Academy squad, and then under 18s.
“I only expected to play a few games, but I started to play a bit better and I got stronger and I got some confidence - and then had a pretty good carnival.”
Although Hogan will be training with the Demons next year in readiness to be listed in 2014, he said he was rapt to have a year on his contemporaries.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how the players go about things and getting more knowledge about the game and watching Melbourne play,” he said.
“Hopefully, I’ll get a head start on the boys who will be drafted next year.”
