By Jarrod Potter
KURT Mutimer is used to pressure – it’s where he thrives best on the footy oval after all.
But the magnitude of what was happening on Tuesday night – as he waited for his name to be read at the AFL National Draft – was a whole new level of suspense.
Mutimer, 18, from Narre Warren North, had to bide his time and agonisingly see off 56 picks at the AFL National Draft before his chance arose.
Kurt Mutimer became the third City of Casey area footballer – including Beaconsfield pair Bailey Rice and Brandon White – to be inducted into the AFL as he joined the West Coast Eagles with pick 57.
From Narre North Foxes, to Narre Warren and onto the Dandenong Stingrays – Mutimer’s football journey adds a new section when he makes the trip-of-a-lifetime to join West Coast on Sunday.
“It’s a dream come true – you dream about this night ever since you were a little kid and for it to happen I was speechless,” Mutimer said. “The family is stoked for me and I couldn’t be happier.”
Waiting til the lower-end of the draft was a nervous experience for him, but Mutimer, his girlfriend Kim, friends and family erupted once the Eagles’ pick came through.
“I was getting pretty anxious – hearing everyone else’s names getting called out, but it came to West Coast’s pick 57 and I had this funny feeling and lucky enough my name was called out,” Mutimer said.
“Had all my mates around, family and my girlfriend – they were all there to celebrate with me.”
It’s not often you get a phone call from an AFL coach, but Mutimer’s success was congratulated immediately by West Coast’s Adam Simpson who can’t wait for his new player to get across for the hard-slog of pre-season training.
“It’s a new chapter getting to start and I can’t wait to get over there and get stuck in – it’s something I’ve worked my whole life for and for it to happen it’s a dream come true and I can’t wait to get started,” Mutimer said. “Had a few calls, Adam Simpson called me up and a few of the welfare managers and the blokes who are based in Victoria, Adam spoke to me… said he was looking forward to catching up with me and so am I when I fly over there Sunday.”
Mutimer – and five of his now-former Dandenong team mates Jacob Weitering, Kieran Collins, Liam Hulett, Rice and White – got to enter the AFL this week and he thought it was a great achievement for the Stingrays and everyone who helped him along the way.
“To get into the AFL alongside plenty of your mates, from the club you played at all year, is something the Stingrays can feel privileged about – to get that many players drafted,” Mutimer said.
“It’s something that’s very important for the Stingrays and something they’ve worked very hard for to get them drafted and I couldn’t be more stoked for all the guys and the club for getting drafted and wish the best luck to them.”
Mutimer hopes his former Narre North Foxes team mate – and current Dandenong Stingrays ruckman – Gach Nyuon gets his chance in Friday’s rookie draft after being overlooked at Tuesday night’s first draft.
Mutimer wanted to thank his greatest supporters – his family and friends – as without them, he wouldn’t be in this position to start an amazing AFL journey ahead.
