SUNS RECRUIT’S JOY: ‘I HAD TEARS IN MY EYES’
CALEB Graham has described the emotional moment he found out his dream of making it on to an AFL list became a reality.
The 18-year-old was sitting on the couch at his Palm Beach home with his closest family and friends when the Suns selected the swingman with pick 71 in the national draft yesterday.
“I was talking to my manager before the draft and he was saying if you are taken in the national draft it will be late and if not then potentially in the rookie draft,” Graham said.
“I was sitting down relaxing and then it got to 70 and then I sat up and starting getting a little sweaty.
“I was a bit nervous and then 71 happened and they said something about an academy prospect.
“My name hadn’t even been called out and my mum (Mia) was up yelling and screaming.
“I had some mates were down from Cairns with me and everyone was making noise.
“I was a bit shocked at first, I couldn’t move and didn’t know what to do.
“I got up and had tears in my eyes. It was very surreal. It’s been a dream for a while now so I couldn’t be happier.”
Graham began playing football in Cairns at the age of five and spent time with the North Cairns Tigers and Cairns Saints before joining the Suns academy in 2016.
His family made the decision to move to the Gold Coast so Graham could pursue his dream and after showing promise with the Suns NEAFL side while winning two straight QAFL premierships with Palm Beach Currumbin, the 195cm talent, who weighs 90kg, has secured his chance at the top level.
“To be the only academy player to go to the Suns, it’s definitely a great achievement for me,” Graham said.
“I did a pre-season with the team at the start of this year and played NEAFL the past couple of years too.
“I know a few of the boys which is good so it won’t be a hard transition. It will be a step up, though.”