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.”
alicesprings
Guest
Great seeing 3 NT boys at the club..there's a couple NT boys that should go in the rookie draft too..who knows maybe the Cats will pick up another.
Macca
Guest
Thats the benefits of Geelong being aggressive in the trade period hey Dalgety.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Lot of North Melbourne supporters are pretty dirty about it, I think they had designs on him. Credit to the Cats for taking a risk on him, hopefully it works out. Motlop and Stokes are NT lads so he will have some friends there as well.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Great pick and a risk worth taking. That's now two pretty big risks the Cats have taken at the end the year. Fortune favours the brave - will be very interesting in the next 2-years should these two big gambles pay off. GO THE CATS!
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
I suspected when Adelaide, the dunces, swapped their pick 10 for pick 14 that it might have a knock on effect for the Dockers and I reckon they wouldn't have minded picking up Nakia with their pick 13. Looks a like he has all sorts of potential and could go on to be one of the great steals of the draft.
Alicesprings
Guest
Fantastic! Great pick up!
Franko
Guest
“It’s a calculated risk..." Cats coach Chris Scott said. And in more ways than one....! His uncle Che played for Port (and Essendon) and he comes from the same club in the NT as Fabian Francis (Port) and Gavin Wanganeen. He was quoted pre-draft saying “Port is the team I’d love to go to, but just getting to a club would be fantastic...’’ If any club can back in their "culture" to win over a player, it may well be the Cats and they'll certainly hope that Motlop and Stokes play a big part in that. Good luck to the lad, hopefully his injured days are over and he can show his worth on the big stage. Exciting times......