The Geelong Cats couldn’t have made a young footballer happier when they called out Zac Bates at number 46 in this year’s rookie draft.

Bates, who is currently finding his feet at the Cats pre-season training camp, had lost hope that he was going to an AFL club after missing out on the national draft.

So when Bates was informed that Geelong had called out his name the emotions hit him like a ton of bricks.

“There were mixed emotions - emotions all around. I was pretty happy, excited and in some bits I wanted to cry but in happiness,” Bates explained.  

“I wasn’t expecting it after the big main national draft - and I wasn’t really looking forward to the rookie draft. I was still at work carrying on with my day.”

Bates knows how to work hard and long hours. When the 18-year-old wasn’t on the footy field he was down to work lifting furniture and maintaining his body strength.

“I was a removalist and an installment person for a furniture shop,” Bates said.

“I went on the trucks and helped the drivers install and deliver furniture.”

From the first day of training camp the Cats’ coaching staff had all the players hitting the track at full-speed.

“Today I’ve been doing a little bit of everything, weights and footy skills - it was full on,” Bates admitted.

“After the first drill I wanted to go and have a lay down. Then we came back and relaxed a little bit before going straight into strength (conditioning).

Bates is already mixing in well with the group and has found himself in good hands.

“Travis Varcoe and Brad Hartman have been taking me under their wing and showing me the ropes.”

To become a Geelong Cat the young forward has traveled a long way.

“I’m from the riverland in a little town called Barmera in South Australia, two and half hours from Adelaide heading north,” Bates explained.

Bates has only been at the club for a couple of weeks, however, being chucked in the deep end isn’t a foreign concept for the young rookie.

“(I started footy) when I was eight. I didn’t really know about footy back then but when my Mum met my step Dad he got me into it.”

“I was playing in under-17s when I was eight years old; so yeah I got chucked in the deep end.”

The last few months have been extremely memorable for Bates in more ways than just one.

Before becoming part of an AFL club he was celebrating the birth of his child.  

“The big surprise was our little baby girl, she was born two and half months ago. We’re pretty happy and stoked to stoked to have her. Her name is Khloe Bates,” Bates said.