When Mackenzie Willis’ name flashed on screen towards the end of Tuesday night’s national draft, the Tasmanian playmaker couldn’t get his head around what he was seeing.

After being overlooked at the end of his under 18 season in 2013, the 20-year-old had minimal expectations heading into the 2015 national draft, despite enjoying a blistering season in the Tasmanian State League.

Willis scooped up a haul of prizes during a brilliant season in the apple isle to enhance his draft status. He won the Kingborough Tigers best and fairest, team of the year honours on a wing, as well as producing a dominant display for his state against the NEAFL mid-year.

Gold Coast SUNS list manager, Scott Clayton, scours the entire nation in search of talent, with this just another example of how far and wide he casts his net – especially when you consider that Willis is the first player to be drafted out of the TSL since Clayton recruited Aaron Hall from Hobart in 2012.

“It was a huge surprise,” Willis told Tasmanian newspaper The Mercury following his selection in Tuesday night’s national draft.

“I went into the day without any nerves and it was a massive surprise, even looking at my name when it got read out took me a while to believe it.”

For the mature-aged recruit, his work-life balance is about to change, significantly. No longer will he be spending his Friday nights working as a pizza delivery driver. Those days are now behind him.

“I’ve been driving pizzas every Friday for the past two years. My boss now has to find another guy to deliver,” Willis quipped.

“It [pizza delivery] was a way to keep my mind off footy and other things like that.”