Even after a full season of football, taking on the mantle of Geelong’s first top 10 AFL draft pick since Joel Selwood in 2006 would carry a burden of expectation.
Instead, Nakia Cockatoo heads to the Cats having played just one match in 2014 – the curtain-raiser on grand final day.
The Northern Territory product was sidelined for most of the year after surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot in April, only just resuming training shortly before this year’s AFL draft combine.
But that didn’t deter the Cats from using pick 10 in Thursday’s draft on the Gold Coast to snare the nephew of former Port Adelaide and Essendon star Che Cockatoo-Collins.
“It’s a calculated risk, but we think if his body holds up and we can look after him and develop him, he has some serious upside,” Cats coach Chris Scott said.
“Nakia won’t have any pressure to be the next Joel Selwood, but it’s good to have that option,” he said.
What did work in Cockatoo’s favour was while his opportunities to shine were limited, he showed plenty.
During the draft combine he ran a 20m sprint in 2.9 seconds, won the repeat speed test and topped the kicking competition.
He then starred in that one solitary match at the MCG, putting in a best on ground display that Scott believed showed there’s a diamond in the rough heading to the Cats.
“There’s not much exposed form,” Scott said.
“We do know he’s a serious talent and he has some amazing physical attributes.
“The whole world saw one game on grand final day this year and he was just outstanding.”
Cats recruiting manager Stephen Wells is another who believes using a rare top 10 pick on Cockatoo is far from a gamble.
Wells says while Cockatoo’s lack of footy complicated his recruitment, a long-term view had to be taken.
“From the recruiting team’s point of view he wasn’t a bolter – we had him rated very highly leading into the year,” Well told AAP.
Cockatoo, one of three indigenous players chosen in the top 10 of Thursday’s draft, says being chosen by a club with such a storied recent history as Geelong is an honour.
With fellow Territorians Steven Motlop and Matthew Stokes already on the playing list at the Cats, Cockatoo said he couldn’t wait to join up with his new teammates and put his injury woes behind him.
“I don’t even have the words to say it but to be selected by the Cats is just a big honour for me,” he said.
“I’m really humbled to go there.”
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