When talented midfielder Nathan O’Driscoll was drafted to Fremantle with pick no.27 in the NAB AFL National Draft on Wednesday, he said his sister Emma was by far the most excited out of anyone in his family.
A defender for Fremantle’s AFLW team, Emma’s excitement even exceeded his own, with his older sister thrilled to welcome her brother to her second family.
“If you’ve seen the videos on the social media, and her reaction, then definitely Emma was the most excited. I kept it close to my chest but Emma was screaming at the camera,” Nathan said during a media conference with the two siblings on Friday.
“I think I’m more laid back and relaxed like Dad, but Emma’s the opposite with Mum, very out there and very full on.
“Mum (was also thrilled), she’s driven us to training all throughout the year and everything like that. I think Dad was a bit more shocked.”
Nathan said that he had already spoken to Emma about what life would be like in the purple.
“Emma told me it’s very much family oriented, it’s like a family and they’re very welcoming,” Nathan said.
“She said ‘you’re going to be nervous and that’s normal; but the boys have all been really welcoming already. They’ve already shot me a few messages and they seem like good blokes.”
After Nathan was drafted, he said it had long been his dream to play for Fremantle.
Emma confirmed that Nathan was originally the outlier in a family that is now firmly in the Dockers camp.
“All of our family were actually West Coast supporters, except for Nathan. His whole life, he’s defied that stereotype by going for Freo,” Emma said.
“I think when I got drafted, we converted everyone to the purple and now they’re through and through Freo, so it’s awesome.”
While Nathan is facing his first summer at Freo, Emma is up and running with her second pre-season after she was drafted in 2019.
She joked that she was looking forward to seeing Nathan thrown in the deep end by senior coach Justin Longmuir.
“I’d say (to Longmuir) to give it to him, it’s the only way he’s going to learn, I think,” Emma said.
“But I do think he will be very well looked after. ‘Springer’ (boxing coach Gary Ingraham) is incredible, he’s been a mentor for us girls and does the same for the men’s program.
“He’s always someone you can rely on but there’s plenty of others like that, so he’s in good hands.”
Nathan said his biggest goal in the pre-season was to hit the gym and increase his strength with a long-term goal of playing in the midfield.
“There’s an expectation to put on a bit of muscle and, as it’s my first pre-season, getting comfortable and familiar in the environment. My goal is to obviously get a lot bigger, I’m pretty skinny and lightweight,” Nathan said.
“I’m a contested player so I like cracking in, winning my own ball and tackling. I can also transition off the half back flank and on the wing, a bit of outside run as well but my favorite position is definitely as an inside midfielder.”
