Hearing his name called at the 2019 AFL draft was a pleasant surprise for new Crow Lachlan Gollant.
Given he only joined the Calder Cannons program midway through 2019, the 18-year-old was unsure of his fate as he entered the draft.
Gollant started playing football in Under 9’s at St Bernard’s in Essendon, Victoria and from there, he consistently made representative sides without quite making it into the Cannons program.
That changed this year, however, as standout performances for Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School drew interest from recruiters.
He earned a late call up to the Cannons program and debuted in the NAB League on June 30.
Six Cannons games and five months later, the outside midfielder is now living in Adelaide on and AFL list.
After a whirlwind second half of 2019, Gollant said being drafted was a surprise, but a welcome one.
“It’s been a pretty crazy year,” Gollant said.
“I came in pretty late - it was a bit of a shock to the family actually, we were sitting on the couch and we didn’t really think that was going to happen.
“Everyone says it, but it has been my dream since I was a little kid.
“To actually have it happen, it means the world and I can’t wait to get stuck into it.”
At the beginning of the year, football was not even Gollant’s first priority.
A smart kid in his final year of high school, he was focusing on his education and aimed for an ATAR in the 90s.
Hoping to use his intelligence off the field as well as on, he plans to start a degree in commerce in the next few years.
“I’m a hard worker and I’m a smart footballer, I read the play well and I think that is how I make my presence felt on the field,” Gollant said.
“For a lot of smart kids, it doesn’t actually translate onto the field, but I feel like it does for me.
“Reading the play has always come naturally to me and it’s handy.
“I think that’s what sets me apart from the other boys that were in contention for the draft.”
One of his first priorities at the Club will be to bulk up.
“Next year, I will just be developing myself and learning as much as I can,” he said.
“I’m a pretty skinny guy so I’ll be spending a lot of time in the gym and a lot of time eating.
“So, that will be the focus to start off with and once we’ve put on a bit of size and we are getting into the workload, we’ll get stuck into the game plans and the structures.”
Gollant has spent the past three weeks training at West Lakes and will return to Melbourne over the Christmas break.
The Adelaide side will return to the track on January 10, 2020.
