IT DIDN’T take long for Melbourne rookie midfielder Shane Valenti to realise he was playing in the big league.

His first official AFL hit out came against the reigning premiers Geelong at Skilled Stadium last Saturday and just to emphasise the reality of the situation, he lined up on the game's most recent Brownlow Medallist – Jimmy Bartel. Being thrown in the deep end couldn't have been more applicable for Valenti, as he explains.

"At the start it was a little overwhelming, playing against the Brownlow Medallist Bartel and the experienced Geelong midfield, but I got used to it pretty quickly and I thought I'd have to get my own footy if I wanted to get it," Valenti told melbournefc.com.au.

"I knew I was starting in the middle, but I didn't know if I was starting on Bartel, [Cameron] Ling or [Gary] Ablett.

"The step-up was about 10 levels higher [than the VFL]. It was so much quicker and the time you have to get rid of the ball is amazing and the guys' bodies are much stronger."

But Valenti didn't waste his first opportunity at AFL level, notching up 21 disposals in an impressive display, despite his side's 12-goal loss to Geelong.

And for the 21-year-old, the opportunity to mix it at the highest level hadn't come easy.

A product of the TAC Cup with the Sandringham Dragons, Valenti had to further hone his craft with Sandringham in the VFL before he was finally placed on an AFL list last December, via the NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

"I had to work pretty hard. I started at the Sandringham Dragons when I was 17 and I had a little bit of interest when I was 17 about getting drafted, but it didn't happen," Valenti said.

"My 18th year I was out for most of the year with a knee injury, so that hampered my chance of playing nationals and nothing happened after that, but I thought I'd keep trying and I went to Sandringham [Zebras].

"I played under [former Sandringham coach and now Melbourne development coach] Mark Williams and he's been fantastic for me and I played senior footy for Sandringham and played in a premiership there and Mark nursed me along and tested me in positions.

"I played OK last year and I was lucky enough to get a gig after four or five years of trying."

Due to his impressive 2007 season – he won the Fothergill/Round Medal as the VFL's best young player – Valenti knew last year's drafting period was his best chance yet of gaining a place on an AFL list.

"I had a little bit of interest from outside clubs, but Melbourne was the main one. On the actual draft day, I wasn't expecting too much in November because I thought my chances were with the rookie draft, but I was disappointed when I wasn't drafted in the first draft," Valenti said.

"But then I got the opportunity to train with the Demons and I had a crack there and I worked pretty hard and they didn't say anything about taking me or not. They said: 'We'll give you a call if you've been picked up'.

"I waited by the phone and I was late to get selected [at No.49], but when 'Rossco' [football manager Ross Monaghan] gave me a call, he said: 'We took you'. I was very, very happy and over the moon.

"It was a big relief and weight off the shoulders – knowing that I'd finally got there after years of perseverance of trying – but I knew I had a spot and a job and that was very, very exciting."

Although Valenti is set to continue gaining senior experience during Melbourne's pre-season campaign, he concedes there are mixed feelings about the likelihood of his season proper opportunity this year – despite his eagerness to debut.

"You don't want to see blokes injured, but for myself to exceed, someone has to get injured for me to be promoted, so it's a catch 22."