HARRISON Petty only got an inkling Melbourne might selected him in the 2017 NAB AFL Draft late in the piece.

He received a phone call from the club, asking about flights, hours before Friday night’s meeting.

The South Australian key defender was rated by many as a top 30 pick, but managed to sneak through to Melbourne’s third choice at No.37. Initially, he and his management thought he would land at GWS Giants in the late 20s.

In the end, it wasn’t the case, and Petty was claimed by the Demons.   

“I really didn’t expect Melbourne to draft me – I thought the Giants were most likely, but I’m rapt to join Melbourne,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“It means a fair bit to me to get drafted. It’s great to get drafted by a club that has a rich culture and I’m really happy to be at Melbourne.

“I’ve always liked Melbourne and really like watching players like Jack Viney, Alex Neal-Bullen and Clayton Oliver play.”

Hailing from Wudinna on the Eyre Peninsula, 570km north-west of Adelaide, Petty said moving wouldn’t worry him, given he had been boarding at Rostrevor College in Woodforde, Adelaide.

“I moved away from home and although it takes a bit to get used to for the first few weeks, you quickly get into a routine and adjust,” he said.

Although Petty grew up a Port Adelaide supporter, he changed to Carlton growing up, for one reason only.

“I loved watching Chris Judd play,” he said.

Petty, who won South Australia’s most valuable player award in this year’s NAB AFL under 18 championships, described himself as “an intercept marking type of player who can read the play”.

Asked what it would be like to work with one of the best intercept defenders in the game – boom recruit Jake Lever – Petty said: “It’ll be great to learn off him.”