JACOB van Rooyen is one win away from the perfect start to his senior football career.
The 19th selection in last year’s National Draft has been an imposing figure in the Casey Demons’ forward line all season, helping them book a place in Sunday’s VFL Grand Final.
With 194cm of height, van Rooyen has found his feet quickly in the VFL, and after coming close to making an AFL debut at times this season, he is “super excited” for a clash with Southport at IKON Park.
“It’s awesome – I think the work of the boys over the whole year has really shown,” van Rooyen told Casey Media after the Preliminary Final win.
And that they do.
The Demons dropped just one game for the entire VFL campaign, falling to the Lions in the last encounter of the home and away season, but they got their redemption last weekend.
“Beating them like this just gives us heaps of confidence,” van Rooyen said.
After defeating the Swans by 47 points in the first week of the finals, Casey claimed a 51-point victory over Brisbane to advance to the big dance in fine fashion.
The side that did the damage at Casey Fields last Saturday afternoon featured 16 Melbourne-listed players, including some big names up forward.
van Rooyen - who booted three majors himself - played alongside the likes of Tom McDonald, Mitch Brown, Joel Smith and Sam Weideman, giving him a great opportunity to develop his craft.
“Playing with guys who have such experience – and I find they drag defenders with them as well,” van Rooyen said.
“It’s been awesome, a really good experience.
“I’ve learned heaps.
“Guys like Tommy Mac are always talking to you, helping you out with things.
“It shows how good a people they are to come in, help you out. They want the best for you going forward as well.”
There is some youth mixed in with that experience, as van Rooyen operates with Kade Chandler, Toby Bedford and Andy Moniz-Wakefield at his feet.
“Those guys, I’m all really close with,” he said.
“They know I’m going to make a contest in the air and it’s going to come to ground, and I know they’re going to be there so it’s that confidence in each other – it’s awesome.”
Click here for tickets and more information ahead of Casey’s Grand Final contest which kicks off at 12:50pm on Sunday.