The strong-bodied Bendigo Pioneers midfielder was the only non-South Australian selected by the Crows, with Norwood midfielder Mitch Grigg and Woodville-West Torrens pair Nick Joyce and Cam Ellis-Yolmen rounding out the Club’s draft selections.
Kerridge has been living with a host family in Bendigo for the past two years and said he was well equipped for the move interstate.
“It’s nothing too major,” Kerridge told afc.com.au.
“I’ve been away from home for the last two years and the responsibilities that come along with that will no doubt help me with this move.
“The chance to move interstate to pursue something that you love isn’t an issue for me at all.”
The Kerridge family reunited in Mildura to watch the draft, booking a motel room for two hours in order to see the coverage.
“We don’t have Austar (Foxtel) at home, so we were lucky enough to get a motel room just while the draft was on,” he said.
“Mum and dad were with me. I didn’t want anyone else there, but once it was over we went back home and my extended family came around.”
Kerridge’s first year at Bendigo, where he played and trained alongside Crows trade week recruit Josh Jenkins, was ruined by a bout of osteitis pubis.
The 188cm, 82kg, midfielder displayed his revered work ethic to recover in time for the start of the 2011 season, but suffered another setback when he was left out of the Victoria Country team for the business end of the Under-18 Championships in June.
“I played two games for Vic Country against the Northern Territory and South Australia, but didn’t quite perform to the best of my abilities and was left out of the squad for the rest of the championships,” he said.
“I thought it was fair enough based on the performances I put in, but I knew I had to go back in the however many weeks I had left and prove people wrong.”
Almost single-handedly, Kerridge tried to lift the battling Pioneers team, which managed only one win for the season, and was rewarded with a handful of games for the club’s VFL team.
Kerridge’s maturity, both physically and mentally, has seen him touted as a ready-made AFL player.
The AIS-AFL academy graduate said he would work hard over the summer with the aim of making an early-season debut.
“Like any other draftee, I’ll set the goal to play in round one,” he said.
“I’ll work off that, do everything I can and see how I go from there, but I know I won’t be the only one striving for a spot in the team.”
