Josh Rachele is no stranger to an elite sporting environment, but the soccer star-turned AFL draftee didn’t know what to expect when he walked into West Lakes.
The small forward arrived at the Club in a whirlwind after being selected with Pick No.6 inthe 2021 AFL Draft, but Adelaide’s players welcomed the 18-year-old with open arms.
“For (my family) to see me finally get picked up and to see the happiness and emotions on their face is something I’ll hold close to me… it was a very special night,” Rachele told Channel 7.
“But the first moment when you first walk into an AFL Club you’ve got mixed emotions.
“The boys were very welcoming, I had a lot of messages, phone calls and texts from nearly the whole team that night (of the Draft).
“The big thing that stood out was that there were no egos in the Club… everyone has the same picture of where we want to be.
“They made it easy coming straight into the Club.”
While Rachele already packed an impressive frame, the transition to training at AFL level was a shock to the system.
“It was a massive step up coming from Under 18s football, it took me probably a couple of weeks to get used to it,” Rachele said.
“The first few weeks you literally train, sleep and eat… after every single training session you’re getting back and you physically have to go to sleep, you’re just exhausted.
“But your body gets used to it, you understand what you need to do for recovery and things like that.
“Darren Burgess and the rest of the strength and conditioning coaches have helped me settle in nicely.”
Where Rachele wants to go is clear - but the forward isn’t counting his chickens too early despite the weight of Draft expectations.
“You need to put (those expectations) aside. My main priority coming in was just to earn the respect of all my teammates and put my best foot forward,” Rachele said.
“Ideally you’d like to play as early as you can but the season’s a long season - you’ve got 22 rounds, so if I debut in Round One or 17 I’d be happy just to get on the park with all the boys.”
One player who knows those expectations all too well is Riley Thilthorpe.
Rachele said the former Crows’ top pick had been a role model when it came to hard work and dedication.
“Riley (Thilthorpe) has been a really good mentor. It’s good to have people like Riley… where you can really understand how to manage those expectations,” he said.
“It’s a big thing kicking five goals in your first game, but it’s about working as hard as you can and never being content.
“He’s probably one of the hardest working players at the Club and everyone notices that.”
The youngster had also been taken under the wing of one of Adelaide’s most experienced forwards.
“All the boys have been unbelievable but if I had to single someone out it would probably be Tex (Taylor Walker),” Rachele said.
“Being one of the older boys with a lot of experience and advice, Tex has helped me since day one when I got to the Club.
“He didn’t treat me any differently… if that was pulling me aside telling me, ‘I’m doing this wrong’, or, ‘I’m doing this right’.
“He gives really good advice and has been someone who’s been really influential to me so far.
“But the hard work’s just starting now. I think I’ve still got a long way to go but we’ll see what happens.”
