One young footballer stole the show on the first night of the AFL draft with a rowdy celebration and interview that had fans in stitches.
In the age of professional sport where every youngster coming through the ranks are groomed to be polished media performers, it’s not too often you get a rogue interview, but the AFL Draft delivered.
The first round of the draft was held virtually on Wednesday night, as AFL clubs looked to recruit their next superstar and aspiring footballers hoped their childhood dream would be realised.
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As expected, gun South Australian midfielder Jason Horne-Francis was chosen by North Melbourne as the No. 1 pick and the rest of the top 10 was chosen largely in their predicted order.
As the starry-eyed talents conducted their interviews after being picked, one teenager’s golden response had the AFL world in stitches.
After the Brisbane Lions took Darcy Wilmot with pick 16, the TV coverage cut to the house where he was tuning in to the draft.
When his named was called, the teenager was immediately mobbed by about 20 of his mates, who jumped on top of him in an epic game of stacks-on.
Asked on Fox Footy shortly afterwards how he was feeling after being tackled by his friends, Wilmot was as down to earth as it gets.
“Couple of bruises and knocks but I’m going good,” he said. “(I’m) bloody excited.
“Just my best footy I’ll bring, hard work and determination. Everything I’ve got in me, I’ll bring it to the AFL.”
When asked how he planned to celebrate being drafted, Wilmot responded cheekily: “Couple more Pepsi Max.
“Just having a couple with the boys and the family and stuff. That’s about it.”
Eagle-eyed viewers spotted one of his mates had a beer in hand and appeared to offer it to Wilmot, with the bottle creeping in to sight on the TV coverage.
“Darcy, if you play Round 1 next year I reckon you’re going to have to ask the club for about 50 tickets going on what we just saw then,” Fox Footy commentator Brad Johnson joked.
The Western Bulldogs legend added: “He’s a character and we need those in the game.”
AFL fans couldn’t get enough of Wilmot, who looks like he could quickly become a cult hero.
“Darcy Wilmot – best draft interview I’ve ever heard! #AFLDraft #pepsimax,” Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield tweeted.
Journalist Jack Hudson added: “Can we have all of Darcy Wilmot’s mates at all future pressers? That was amazing.”
Broadcaster Tim Gossage wrote: “Darcy Wilmot could provide footy scribes with plenty of material.”
AFL 2021 Draft Order — Round 1
1. Jason Horne-Francis — North Melbourne
2. Sam Darcy — Western Bulldogs
3. Finn Callaghan — GWS Giants
4. Nick Daicos — Collingwood
5. Mac Andrew — Gold Coast Suns
6. Joshua Rachelle — Adelaide
7. Joshua Ward — Hawthorn
8. Jye Amis — Fremantle Dockers
9. Josh Gibcus — Richmond
10. Neil Erasmus — Fremantle
11. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera — St Kilda
12. Joshua Sinn — Port Adelaide
13. Ben Hobbs — Essendon
14. Campbell Chesser — West Coast
15. Leek Aleer — GWS Giants
16. Darcy Wilmot — Brisbane Lions
17. Tom Brown — Richmond
18. Angus Sheldrick — Sydney Swans
19. Jacob van Rooyen — Melbourne
20. Kai Lohmann — Brisbane Lions
Originally published as ‘Best interview ever’: AFL world loses it at draftee’s rowdy celebration
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