By Jonty Ralphsmith
Gippsland smokey Asher Eastham landed at Gold Coast in the AFL rookie draft on Friday afternoon.
Eastham was at his highschool valedictory when he received the shock news that he would be heading north, with the Suns pouncing on the 190cm talent at pick 17 of the rookie draft.
The Power swingman missed Vic Country in 2024, but there was a degree of confidence that he would find his way onto an AFL list, with Collingwood and Essendon the strongest suitors.
But when that pair appeared to overlook him by drafting similar players in the national draft, it appeared that he wouldn’t get his chance, before the Suns seized.
“Asher is an athletic and versatile player who is strong overhead and has proven he has the flexibility to play at either end of the ground,” Gold Coast recruiting manager Kall Burns said.
Power Talent Lead Scott McDougal offered a greater insight into Eastham, who started the season as an excellent marking forward, before being switched into defence.
It was when he started playing across halfback that the AFL interest swelled.
“He’s an A-Grade contested mark and moving him to the backline exposed his high degree of skill when it comes to field kicking,” McDougal said.
“That was pleasing for us and to see him get some interest has been great and the way he tested at the combine was positive as well.
“It showed he has the scope to go with a quick leading forward.
“The way he finished the year off was positive and he’s a great kid so anyone who interviewed him would have walked away better off for the experience.
He’s a really unassuming player but whenever there’s a contest in the air, he impacts it and he’s clean on the ground.”
An affable country character, the Pakenham Gazette spoke to Eastham six days before his name was read out, with the teen highlighting the heightened emotions of draft week.
With draft literacy having increased substantially across the past decade and player agents able to manage expectations accordingly, most have an indication whether they will be selected, and where.
But Eastham was right on the edge, making for a tense period.
“I’m pretty nervous,” he said six days out from the draft.
“I’ve finished exams now so there’s nothing to do besides think about it, so I’m trying to not look at anything about the draft on social media or anything like that because I’m probably not going to be on there so there’s no point looking into it.
“I’ve got no idea what can happen because I’m not guaranteed.
“That’s probably where the nerves come in.
“It’s annoying because you see players who are probably similar to you and go ‘why are they getting attention, am I not good enough or not a chance’?
“You just have to not focus on that sort of thing – it’s just the wait now which is killing me.”
The wait is over and Eastham is a Sun.
Now the hard work starts.
