'With Pick 67, Hawthorn has selected Dylan Moore from the Eastern Ranges.'
When his name was read out in the 2017 NAB AFL Draft, a lifelong Hawthorn supporter’s dream came true.
This weekend, when he pulls on the brown and gold guernsey in the VFL Grand Final, Dylan Moore will be ticking another dream off the list.
“It’s just amazing to get through to the granny, especially in my first year,” the 19-year-old said after Sunday's Preliminary Final victory.
Read: VFL match report - Preliminary Final
A great endurance runner, a skilful player and a good decision maker – many would be wondering how this young player slipped through to Pick 67 in last year’s draft. The answer? It could be his size. Moore is one of the smaller players in the league, standing at 176cm.
But don’t let size fool you; the pocket rocket has certainly used this to his benefit throughout Box Hill’s finals series.
Not only was he one of the Hawks’ most prolific ball winners in the Preliminary Final win, slipping in and out of the midfield with ease and gathering 20 disposals, but he also heaped on the scoreboard pressure with a game-high four goals.
A modest young player, Moore credits his impressive display to Box Hill's team structures.
“To kick four goals is the cherry on top [of the win], but if it didn’t come from me it would have come from Olly [Hanrahan] or Mitchy [Lewis] or someone else down there,” he said.
“[We had to] really just trust our system, trust each other… and put the scoreboard pressure back on them, which ended up going our way.”
The Hawks will now take on Casey in the VFL decider this Sunday at Etihad Stadium.
You can pre-book your tickets to the VFL double header here.