By JARROD POTTER
MOUNT Eliza to Sydney is a bit of a commute, but Zak Jones is thrilled to fly off and join the Sydney Swans with his selection at pick 15 in Thursday night’s AFL National Draft.
The 18-year-old Stingrays’ midfielder/defender had an envious 2013 – named All Australian and player of the carnival for Victoria Country – and featured in 13 TAC Cup matches for Dandenong including a best on ground finals performance against Calder in the preliminary final.
His amazing season was even more impressive considering he was not part of the Stingrays squad as a 17-year-old as he plied his craft at Mount Eliza.
That hard graft earned him a highly coveted position on an AFL list and when he heard his name called out by the Swans was the start of his dream coming to life, but Jones admitted the hard yards are far from over.
“It’s amazing – sort of a dream come true but I know the hard work is not over, just got to keep my head down and keep working hard, but it’s a great thing to happen and a great club to go to so I’m pumped,” Jones said.
“To be a first-round pick with the Sydney Swans, a great club with such great players there, it’s a great honour and I’m so grateful they’ve given me the chance to come play for their club and hopefully I can go somewhere with it.
He didn’t expect Sydney to read out his name, let alone claim him as its first draft pick this year, but was stoked to get up to a high-ranking team and earn his spot on the list.
“I didn’t know really where I was going and it did really come out of the blue,” Jones said.
“I guess that made it so much better for the hype of it, people think I’m going different places and I never thought I’d be going to Sydney but I’m so stoked to get picked for a great club.
“Probably 12 months ago, playing for Mount Eliza, it’s gone that quick, so I’m surprised I’m here right now and I was more in shock last night (Thursday).”
Jones jokingly said he’d earn a few fines if he ever played on his brother Nathan, who plays for Melbourne, just to bridge the gap between them but said it would be great to line up on him if it was possible.
“Me and Nath spoke about it the other day… there would be a few fines and things like that, but I’m willing to do that just to compete against him” Jones said.
“But hopefully one day I can come up against him… have to wait and see.”
Jones might be joined in the AFL system by a few other Dandenong Stingrays, with the AFL’s final drafts of the season – the AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts – held on Wednesday morning.
