Adelaide’s newest midfielder David Mackay has drawn many similarities between his former side and the Adelaide Crows.“We weren’t a superstar team or anything like that, we were a good hard working team,” said Mackay, who was a vital part of the Oakleigh Chargers under-18 premiership winning side in 2006. “We worked for each other. And I think that’s what the Crows are like. I see a lot of similarities from the team I’m coming from and the team I’m at now.”Mackay was taken by Adelaide with pick 48 in the NAB AFL Draft and has been uprooted from his home in Melbourne almost immediately, beginning training with his new club on Monday morning.“I guess it was the realisation of a dream come true for me,” he said. “I realised then that this is all real. I was really excited; there were a few mixed emotions about moving away, but it’s so exciting and I just couldn’t wait to come over (to Adelaide).”For the long kicking youngster, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Mark Ricciuto was “incredible”.“We had to pair up and do kicking (on Monday morning), and I was with Ricciuto, and it was incredible,” Mackay said. “You just sort of, do it; when you’re out there you have to feel like you’re one of them, I guess. If I can be half the player that Mark Ricciuto is I’ll be rapt.”Weighing in at less than 70kg, Mackay’s immediate goal is to prepare himself physically for AFL football.“My goal is to get myself ready to play well in the SANFL, and to get my body right and ready to play at the next level,” he said. “They’re my immediate goals, but I’ll have to sit down and work out what I want long-term.”Mackay is not the only member of his family having to make adjustments, with his parents also having to come to terms with the movement of their son interstate.“I spoke to them last night and they’re ok; questions, questions and more questions!” he said. “They’re really happy for me, in that I’m doing what I want to do. They’re a little bit upset, but they realise that this is what I’ve wanted to do for a long time now. They’re just going to have to deal with it, I guess!”At the other end of the physical spectrum is Adelaide’s second draft selection (32 overall), Kurt Tippett.At 200cm and 97kg, the bulky Queenslander has a head start on the other draftees.“I have noticed that I am a bit bigger than the other boys, but I’m also a bit older so that’s probably why,” Tippett said. “Hopefully I’ll be able to match it with the bigger boys, but I’m not too sure yet.”A former junior basketball star, Tippett has only played football for two years, giving his home club Southport credit for his rapid development.“I’ve had a great two years in football,” he said. “I was looked after very well at Southport (in Queensland); the club taught me a lot about football really – from scratch. I had a good first year, and in my second year we won the premiership under Craig Crowelly. I’ve had a good two years at the club.”According to Tippett, Southport coach Craig Crowelly has been a major influence on his rise to AFL football.“He taught me how to use my body,” Tippett said. “Under Craig Crowelly I was playing mainly in the forward line, so he taught me how to use my body in that sort of sense - holding players off and getting my body in line with the ball so I can have the best chance of taking a mark.”