MELBOURNE recruit Mitch White says he was “stoked” to find out he was selected by the club with its final pick in Wednesday’s NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

White, who was selected at No.20, said it was an “unbelievable” feeling to land on an AFL list.

“Coming out of the season, I thought I had a pretty solid season, but it’s not something I thought was going to happen, but the rest is history now,” he told Dee TV.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind since I [was drafted], but I’m just keen to crack in and get going.

“The boys have been really good to get around me as well, so it’s been great.”

White said he found out his football future at home in an edgy state. 

“I was actually watching [the draft] on my phone because I didn’t want to leave my bedroom, because I was too nervous. I didn’t sleep too well the night before, but I was watching it and Mum was in the room,” he said.

“There was a break [after the first round of the Rookie Draft], so it made it even worse. When my name came after, Mum screamed a little bit and then I got a bit of a ‘woo hoo’ from my sister.

“They were stoked and I was just speechless. I couldn’t believe it.”

White said he was “hopeful” of being selected in the Rookie Draft, after an impressive season with the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup, which included their club best and fairest award.

“If I [was drafted, it would be] super and I’d be over the moon, but I wasn’t really expecting that much.

“I had a chat to them, but other than that – I wasn’t expecting much, but I’m here now, so it’s all good.”

“I played pretty solidly all year.”

Regarded as a rebounding defender, who can also play in the midfield and up forward, White said he was most comfortable down back. 

“I try to rebound with a defensive base. It’s where I start off,” he said.

“[In] juniors, I was always a defender, so that comes naturally. Now, it’s about developing the attacking side of my game.

“I use my kicking, my decision-making and reading of play, where I really try and thrive in and it comes from there.”

As for sharing the same name as 1992 West Coast premiership player and former Cat Mitchell White, he said he had already received some friendly banter.

“There are a couple of things floating around Twitter, [saying] ‘we need the experience’. But it’s a bit extreme,” he said.

“I got a message off my sister as well saying ‘apparently you’re 40 years old and come from Geelong and West Coast’.

“The joke gets thrown around.”