Tom Doedee had absolutely no idea where he might have been headed to at the NAB AFL Draft. He certainly didn't expect Adelaide to pick him with selection No. 17.
Recruiters told the versatile defender he might be taken in the first round, but they also said he might be taken in the second, third or fourth. Or maybe he'd have to wait until the rookie draft.
They didn't have much of clue either.
Doedee said it wasn't until Crows coach Don Pyke read out "Tom Do" at the podium on draft night that he realised he was moving to Adelaide.
It was a moment met by screams and handshakes – although the 18-year-old said his mother was more upset to see him leave the nest than she let on.
"We'd been told anywhere from first [round] to fourth, or maybe even rookie – so we really didn't have an idea," Doedee said on Wednesday.
"We just had a range we were given and on draft night we just enjoyed it.
"Mum was screaming, Dad just shook my hand and said 'well done', we were just smiling.
"Mum and Dad were stoked. I reckon Mum put on a bit of a mask."
The hard work required to translate an opportunity at the elite level into an AFL debut has already begun for the League's newest players and Doedee took part in his first pre-season session last Friday.
He'll be eased into training with his fellow draftees but Doedee insisted his surprise first-round selection wouldn't alter his expectations for season 2016.
A former basketballer, he said he was solely focused on training as hard as he could – as he would have been as a third-round selection at another club or as a rookie.
"Whether it's a rookie or a first round pick we've all got the same expectations," Doedee said.
"It's not a right, it's a privilege to be drafted and I've just got to put my head down and work as hard as all the other boys.
"I think we'll sit down and set a few [specific goals] once I settle in a bit more and understand where I am and learn everyone's name.
"Meeting everyone's a bit of a whirlwind at the moment."
Doedee said his history in basketball – he once had a college career in the US on his radar – would help with his transition from offence to defence as well as with his ball skills.
