THINGS to do for the week if you’re a 17-year-old footballer.

Go to school? Check.

Go to footy training? Yep.

Fly to Tassie, pull on your Hawthorn jumper and play a NAB Cup game with a dozen blokes who just won an AFL flag? Priceless.

That’s how it worked for 17-year-old Liam Shiels this week when he played for the Hawks in their stirring three-point win over Melbourne at Aurora Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Shiels was the youngest player taken in last year’s NAB AFL draft, eligible by a mere two days, and said he couldn’t believe he was given an opportunity to play so early on in his career.

“Oh yeah, I was very excited,” he said in the Hawthorn rooms after the match.

“It was a bit overwhelming – I had a look around at the crowd, looked down and saw that I had the Hawthorn jersey on.

“Clarko (coach Alastair Clarkson) sat me down and told me after training, and I was pretty excited because I never expected it – I never thought I’d be playing my first game this year.

“I was a bit nervous before the game, but all the boys got around me and settled me down a bit, and it was just good to get out there and have a kick.

“More butterflies than anything – I didn’t find out until Thursday that I was playing, and it was probably better that way, because I didn’t have to think about it too long.

“Mum and dad were pretty excited for me, and mum flew down to watch.”
With year 12 to complete, Shiels is unlikely to see any AFL action this season, and Shiels has moved from the Eastern Ranges to the Box Hill Hawks, where he will play this year.

“I just want to improve – I only train with the (Hawthorn) boys on Thursdays, so the other nights will be down at Box Hill.

“I’ll hopefully improve and pickup on the game plan.

“It’s my first year there as well – I’ve been to a couple of training sessions this year and they’ve made me fit in pretty well, they’re all good blokes down there.

“I’m loving it, but I’m struggling learning all the names at two new clubs, but once you get used to it and meet the people, it’s really enjoyable.”

Dream Team watch – Liam Shiels is rated an $86,600 midfielder in Toyota AFL Dream Team 2009.