AFL cult hero Dylan Buckley has opened up on his own draft experiences on Episode 3 of Sport Insights with Emageo.
Buckley spoke to Bridget Lacy about two very different draft stories six years apart after going to Carlton as a pre-determined father-son selection and then getting a second chance in the rookie draft with Greater Western Sydney.
Buckley, who was delisted by the Giants at the end of this season, revealed he had opted not to nominate for the draft this time around, despite being just 26.
“No, I haven’t,” Buckley told Sport Insights with Emageo. “I’ve kept my name off the board this year. I’m really happy with my career to date. Not to say that that’s not going to change in the future but I’m just going to pursue some other interests off field and really excited just to see what that’s about. I’m really excited for what’s next.”
But Buckley, who host popular podcast Dyl and Friends, had some sage words of advice for draftees.
“Probably the first thing when you get to a club all the older guys say make sure you make the most of this because goes quickly,” he said. “You sort of just laugh and brush it off, but it really does.
“It feels like yesterday I was walking in the doors. It’s been a quick eight years. It’s been an awesome. I’m more than happy now to be finished up and so excited for these guys because I know they’ve got some awesome careers ahead of them and, more importantly, some good times.
“Just be yourself, everyone else is taken. Go there and don’t wait. Don’t wait for things to happen.”
Buckley admitted much had changed since he first entered the draft in 2011, but believed the industry had to embrace changing times.
“They put these young 18-year-olds in some really awkward positions these days but I think that’s just the way the game is going and they need to pump it up as much as they can,” he said. “For me, I suppose, it wasn’t as big as it was back eight years ago as it is now. I suppose we had to a couple of little draft interviews but you see these guys now and you know all the names of the top 10 picks. It’s pretty cool how it all works. I don’t know if it plays on their minds. It might put a little bit of pressure on but it might pump them up as well. I’m sure in time it will tell.”