A meeting withPort Adelaide, only days before the draft, had Nathan Vardy convinced he washeading over to South Australia to begin his AFL career. 

According to the2009 phantom drafts and Port Adelaide, who planned to select Vardy at pick 16,the young ruckman was a highly sort after player and was likely to poll highin the draft.

However, none ofthe signs pointed to Geelong picking him up at pick 42.

“Draft day cameand I reckon I woke up at 6 o’clock like a little kid at Christmas and I had towait all day because it was the first year the draft was at night,” Vardy toldCats TV.

“So, I was justhanging out with my mates all day and we went to the local pub and watched iton telly with my family and friends.”

“I was sort ofexpecting to go to Port Adelaide at 16 and I slipped through that,” Vardysaid. 

Expecting anearly pick, the 199cm ruckman from Gippsland started to doubt his chances and thepossibility of being chosen by Geelong was far from his radar. 

“I was trying towork out who needs a ruckman and who needs a tall,” Vardy recalled.  

“I had no ideathat Geelong was keen, I only talked to them the once at draft camp and it waspretty brief and it seemed pretty casual.

“But Wellsy(Stephen Wells) said to me there, ‘you’re a good player, you’re a happy kid,why shouldn’t we draft you?’ I said ‘do it’.”  

“So pick 42 camealong and the Cats took me.”

Born and bred inVictoria, Vardy was thrilled to be staying put on top of being given the rare opportunityto begin his career amongst a pool of premiership stars.

“When I wasslipping I was getting pretty worried and wondering whether people actuallywanted me and then when I got called out I was pumped to still be in Victoria,”Vardy said.

“And I neverthought about Geelong because I never thought it would be a realistic chance…and once it hit me I was buzzing. 

“I thought it’sgoing to be hard to get in as it’s such a good side, but I looked at it as anopportunity to learn from the best.”

Since making hisdebut in 2011, Vardy, who has undergone an unfair bout of injuries during his shorttime at the club, has proven to be a valuable Cat with an impressive thirst forthe ball.

Playing as both aruckman and forward, Vardy has competed in a total of 21 senior games and iseager to return next season after missing all of 2014 with a torn ACL.