One year later and the athletic key forward became the first Boomer to be picked up by an AFL team, taken by North Melbourne at number 25 in the national draft.

“It still hasn’t sunk in and it probably won’t until I get to Melbourne,” Black said.

The news was also an early birthday present – he turned 19 on Sunday – as he watched the draft live at home with about 50 family and friends.

The key position player made his Peel league debut in round 20 and went on to play the remaining three games of the season.

These performances caught the eyes of scouts at every AFL club and all 16 came knocking.

“North Melbourne was the first team to send me a letter and the first club I had an interview with,” Black said.

“I guess that was a sign – they got to me straight away but before the draft you just never knew which way it was going to go.”

Black had been a promising basketballer who was on the verge of being a South West Slammer in 2007 and went on a playing tour of the USA that year.

Only when he came back from the tour and was named captain of the Eaton under 17s side did he make football his priority.

Boomers president Garry Mumme said the club was thrilled for Black’s success.

He said many people still remembered Black grabbing the 2008 colts grand final by the scruff of the neck and almost getting them over the line.

Black, who lives at home with his parents and also works for the family’s floor covering business, said he was taking cooking lessons from his mother Lyn to prepare for living away from home.

Being an early draft selection Black said he did not feel any extra pressure to break into the senior side early but hoped to play in the pre-season competition.

“All draftees are now on the same page, no matter where we went in the draft – it’s all going to come down to what each team needs and how we perform pre-season.

“I’m just rapt to be selected.”

He thanked his family and past coaches for their generous support and also gave thanks to his fitness coach Wayne Watterson.