![Nathan Wardius will be wearing the same colours next season, but it will the AFL's GWS Giants. Nathan Wardius will be wearing the same colours next season, but it will the AFL's GWS Giants.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/xtb7LvhUpWdRyX3MGXCxS3/ebc05a66-5bf3-4e6c-aca9-718602f64211.jpg/r670_584_4310_3238_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Rand-Walbundrie-Walla's Nathan Wardius has been selected by GWS.
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The Giants selected the youngster as a Category B rookie, ahead of the AFL rookie draft on Wednesday.
"Nathan is an exciting medium forward with athleticism and football smarts, great touch on his left foot and is a hybrid type who is a threat in the air or on the ground," Giants' national recruiting manager Adrian Caruso said.
"He has some forward-50 X-factor and can also push up the ground to impact. We got him in to play two VFL games this this year to give him a taste at a higher level, where he looked comfortable."
Wardius debuted for the Giants' VFL team in July this year, rotating across half-forward.
Interestingly, when he was invited to play at the state level, he had the decency to call his club co-coach Daniel Athanitis and ask him if he would prefer he played for RWW, which is also known as the Giants.
![Nathan Wardius in action for the Hume League's Giants. He's now part of the AFL Giants.
Nathan Wardius in action for the Hume League's Giants. He's now part of the AFL Giants.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/andrew.moir/a4055a1e-e04b-4850-bcc2-1c45c2eab055.jpg/r0_0_3367_2245_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Prior to that game, the teenager had kicked 139 goals against 49 senior games for RWW.
He debuted with five goals as a 14-year-old in 2019.
"It's unbelievable, I couldn't be more excited for him, it's great news for him and the club, but also great news for the Hume League," RWW co-coach Jack Duck offered.
The Hume League has had a number of players drafted over the years, including Sydney Swans' premiership player Adam Schneider (Osborne), but it's certainly not an annual event, although Osborne's Nick Madden was rookied by GWS last November.
"He does so much well, he's athletic, quick, has great touch, doesn't miss a target on that left boot," Duck enthused about Wardius.
"He's a game winner, he's an X-factor type player who can win a game off his own boot.
"I think he'll make an impact at whatever level he plays."
Category B rookies are recruited directly rather than drafted, with international players and those from the NSW scholarship program eligible.
It's been a big 48 hours for the region in the AFL, with four Murray Bushrangers drafted in the first round on Monday night, while former O and M star Shaun Mannagh was selected by Geelong on Tuesday night.