Yarrawonga's James Jordon is banking on the rigours of 'banging bodies' with powerhouse team-mate Christian Petracca providing the ideal dress rehearsal for a senior debut.
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Jordon is back on the Border, prior to starting his third season with the Demons.
"I felt like I had a really strong pre-season last year going up against the likes of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Jack Viney, there's not too many better midfielders than them," he said.
Going up against the likes of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Jack Viney ... I think that experience competing against them, I feel like that's fast-tracking me.
- James Jordon
"I think that experience competing against them, that's fast-tracking me as a player and I feel like I'm ready to go now and looking forward to that opportunity when it comes."
Petracca is a 96kg 'bull', Oliver is a two-time best and fairest, while the rugged Viney is the former co-captain.
Jordon, who turned 20 only last week, came close to joining the trio in the Demons' midfield, being named an emergency a handful of times.
"We played scratch matches, we had the occasional 14-on-14, so at least we were playing some sort of footy," he said after COVID-19 wiped out all Victorian football, outside the AFL.
A finger injury late in the season also derailed his senior selection dream.
"I dropped a weight on my right little finger, I almost took the top off it actually," he explained.
"I had some surgery on that, which put me out for a few weeks, but it's all good now."
Resilience is nothing new to Jordon though after he was one of the genuine bolters in the 2018 AFL Draft.
Axed by under 18 outfit Sandringham prior to the start of the season before being picked up by the Oakleigh Chargers, Jordon was something of an 'unknown' after playing for Caulfield Grammar and a handful of matches with Yarrawonga in the Ovens and Murray.
Interestingly though, then Yarrawonga coach Damian Sexton was confident Jordon would get drafted, even though many in the O and M had never heard of the classy ball-winner.
He kicked two goals and featured in the best in the Pigeons' finals win over Lavington in 2018, which he pointed to when drafted just two months later.
"Yeah definitely, so I got the opportunity to play in the elimination final with Yarrawonga, get that intensity against the bigger bodies, yeah I think it held me in good stead and it gives me confidence that I can match it with the bigger bodies," he said at the time.
Jordon's utility value should also be beneficial.
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He started in defence for Casey Demons in the VFL in 2019 and as well as being a hard-working on-baller, he can also push up the ground as he showed with the goals for Yarrawonga in that final.
Jordon is contracted until the end of 2021 as the Demons eye a return to finals.
