THERE is always a high level of expectation attached tobeing a first-round draft pick, but Melbourne’s James Frawley has taken it allin his stride as he embarks on what he hopes will be a long AFL career.

The Demons took the talented but raw defender with the 12^thoverall pick in the 2006 NAB AFL National Draft and, after an early hiccup witha stress fracture in his foot, unveiled him to supporters in round nine.

Melbourne nearly cracked itfor their first win against the Kangaroos that day, and he was part of the sidethat beat Adelaideand the Pies in following weeks.

Frawley laughs off suggestions he might be some kind oflucky charm for his new club and says he’s just happy to have been given anopportunity at such an early stage.

“It’s been great, I didn’t think I’d get a go in my firstyear, so it’s good to get that first game under my belt,” Frawley said.

“I’ve just got to focus on trying to play well and keepingmy spot. I’m just focussed on keeping my opponent quiet and getting a fewtouches myself and hopefully I can cement my place in the side.”

The Ballarat boy has the easygoing air of a country lad andis reluctant to talk about the strengths of his game that saw him so highlyrated in last year’s draft.

But he’s more forthcoming when the conversation turns towhat lies ahead as he works toward becoming an AFL regular.

“I have to work to try and improve my kicking and hittargets every time,” he said without hesitation.

“I’m working with Paul Williams and we’ve got a video cameraset up to try and help improve my technique.”

The 18-year-old with the long, loping stride has played on opponentsas varied as Collingwood small Paul Medhurst, Adelaide mid Mark Ricciuto and Crows tall IanPerrie in his three AFL games.

He covets a key defensive post in the long term, but ishappy to do whatever is asked of him as he learns his craft.

“It doesn’t really worry me. I’ll just try and stick to themwhether they’re small or tall,” he said.

“[Full-back or centre half-back] will be an option one day hopefully,but it’s more about what the club wants. I’ve just got to put on a few kilosand get a bit more size and we’ll see what happens.”

Standing at 193cm, but weighing in at just 82kg when he wasdrafted, his lean body mass is an issue that was driven home to Frawley when heshadowed seasoned Adelaide skipper Ricciuto, who is almost 10cm shorter but10kg heavier.

“It was pretty daunting walking up and standing next to MarkRicciuto who’s a guy I used to look up to as a kid,” he said.

“You know I’d be watching him on TV and thinking, ‘I’d loveto do that’ and then one day I’m out there standing next to him, which waspretty surreal.

“It is a massive step up from under-18’s, it’s a lot quickerand more physical with more big bodies around the ball. It’s just so muchharder to try and get your hands on the football.”

Frawley played his junior footy with EastPoint in the Ballarat Football League before joining TAC Cup side North Ballarat and eventually representing Vic Country inlast year’s NAB AFL under-18 championships.

“Moving from Ballarat to Melbourne was a pretty big move for me,” hesaid.

“I lived with a host family to start with which was reallygood and now I’ve moved out with [teammate] Isaac Weetra and we’re justsettling in and getting used to it.

“We cooked our first meal just the other night and it turnedout all right.”

Frawley is rarely discussed without his famous uncle Dannybecoming part of the conversation, and while he’s glad of the support hereceives from his family, he’s intent on making his own way in the world of AFLfootball.

“He’ll give me the odd phone call and he’s good for a bit ofadvice every now and then,” he said of the former Saints champion.

“I don’t think about it really, I just want to play how Iplay and people will hopefully recognise me for that and not because I’mrelated to him.

“It might happen over time.”