Melbourne draftee Oliver Sestan wasn’t expecting to end up on an AFL list after missing out on selection for the Oakleigh Chargers last NAB League season.
Overlooked by traditional pathways, the Xavier College product decided to take his game to the country as he suited up for Mansfield in the local under-18 competition.
While he played just six games for the Eagles, they turned out to be invaluable for Sestan who made a name for himself in the Goulburn Valley, even booting 24 goals in a single game against Tatura.
Those performances for club and school helped put him on the radar of clubs and Sestan says he first learned of the Demons’ interest late in the piece.
“I had a training session with Connors Sports about a week and a half before the draft with a bunch of other boys that got drafted,” Sestan told SEN Afternoons.
“There was probably about 15 or 20 other boys there that got picked up.
“The next day I got a call from my manager that Melbourne were interested, because all of the club recruiters were there.
“I had a meeting with them that week.”
Given how late the interest was in the forward, Sestan said he had to make late changes to his schoolies plans to ensure he’d be at home for the Rookie Draft.
“I had to change my flights back from schoolies,” Sestan said.
“It sort of all just happened I guess.
“I still didn’t know on the night, I was just waiting there watching with mum and I was lucky enough to have my name called out.
“I was up there for four days still, so I had a good stint up there (at schoolies).”
Taken via pick No. 28 in that Rookie Draft, Sestan says he expects to play up forward at the next level and gave Demons fans an idea of what to expect.
“I play sort of as a general forward,” Sestan explained.
“I sort of use my power and my goal sense to find ways to put the ball through the goals I guess.
“I’m a medium size forward that likes to get up the ground more.”
Sestan joins the Demons alongside fellow 2022 draftees Matthew Jefferson, Jed Adams and Will Verrall along with Category B rookie Kyah Farris-White.
Photo: Shepparton News.