MYRTLEFORD’S Jack Crisp admitted drawing inspiration from former Murray Bushranger Tom Rockliff’s rags to riches story after being picked up by the Brisbane Lions in yesterday’s rookie draft.
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Crisp was snapped up by the Lions with selection No. 40 and follows a similar path to the Gabba as Rockliff who was surprisingly overlooked in the 2009 draft before being thrown a similar lifeline.
“I’m pretty relieved and excited,” Crisp said.
“I was a bit disappointed to miss out in the AFL draft, but I just looked at the rookie draft as another chance.
“I’m looking forward to it.
“Seeing what Tom did gave me something to strive for and I’m just looking forward to getting to Brisbane.”
Crisp had been granted permission to train with St Kilda in the lead-up to the rookie draft and admitted Brisbane’s selection had taken him by surprise.
He could train with the Lions as soon as today.
“They didn’t really give me any indication they would pick me,” he said.
“I was pretty happy when I saw my name come up.”
Crisp, 18, polled 31 votes from his 12 games this season to win the Murray Bushrangers best-and-fairest award by seven votes in his second year in the TAC Cup.
Brisbane Lions’ national talent manager Rob Kerr said Crisp had plenty of upside to his game.
“He gets right in the mix at the stoppages and is a very willing tackler and competitor,” Kerr said.
“One of the reasons he slipped through is his kicking can be a bit untidy at times, but the rookie draft is about working with kids who have got some areas they need to clean up and helping them.”
Meanwhile, Frazer Dale, who played with the Alpine Eagles before moving to Melbourne to join the Calder Cannons, was picked up by Carlton with selection No. 50.
