New Gold Coast recruit Callum Ah Chee had the initial phase of his football dream realised on Tuesday night when the SUNS called out his name with pick No. 8. In the space of less than 24 hours, the life-moulding event has already hit home for the teenager.
The highly rated West Australian headed home from Adelaide on Wednesday afternoon, finally as an AFL player, and will soon fly across the country to begin his new life at Metricon Stadium.
“I think it’s sunk in now that I’m a part of the SUNS. The family were really up and about last night so it will be good to get home and celebrate with them,” Ah Chee told SUNS TV.
For the best part of 12 months, Ah Chee had firmed as the best prospect in Western Australia, a level of pressure he admits was difficult to deal with at times, but something his support network made easier for him to cope with.
“Obviously it is hard at times but I’ve got an amazing support network, they’ve been awesome for me – my family, my friends, my girlfriend. So it’s been really good,” he said.
Ah Chee didn’t quite produce the sort of national carnival he wanted to during the middle stage of the year, but atoned in the closing stages of the season, demonstrating his ability to rise to the occasion as the standard of competition rose.
The 18-year-old played six senior WAFL games for South Fremantle in the closing stages of the year, looking more than comfortable at the level, and playing against men for the first time taught Ah Chee some valuable lessons.
“It was a great opportunity I really can’t thank South enough. It really taught me how to play against bigger bodies and I guess it was sort of a really ramp up to what state was and what colts was so it was good,” he said.
The brutal, confronting reality of the AFL landscape is not foreign to Ah Chee, with his brother enduring a tough initiation to the game at Port Adelaide.
Brendon Ah Chee was drafted by the Power in 2011, but took until this season to debut due to various injuries.
In 2015, the elder Ah Chee played 15 games, becoming a regular in Ken Hinkley’s best 22. His triumphs and tribulations have painted a vivid picture for his younger brother, demonstrating the value of hard work.
“He’s had injury and all that kind of stuff and only started playing this year. He’s told me its not going to be easy, but work as hard as you can and that’s all that counts. So I’ll go in and work hard and I’ll go from there,” he said.
"I think it’s sunk in now"
New Gold Coast recruit Callum Ah Chee had the initial phase of his football dream realised on Tuesday night when the SUNS called out his name with pick No. 8.
