LEETON-Whitton product Cooper Sharman has realised his childhood dream after being picked up by St Kilda in tonight's AFL mid-season draft.
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The 20-year-old was taken at pick 21 by the Saints after impressing in his first year with SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens this season.
Sharman had been mentioned as a possible draft prospect in 2019, and was set to play with VFL club Coburg Tigers last year before the COVID shutdown saw him to return to Leeton and play for the Crows in last year's AFL Riverina Championship.
A nimble forward with great high marking ability, Sharman bagged a league-high 23 goals in the shortened season.
He will join Wagga product Dougal Howard in the Saints' system.
Sharman opted for Adelaide as the best avenue to try and break into the AFL due to the COVID uncertainty in Melbourne.
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He said he was focused on enjoying football when signing with defending premiers Woodville-West Torrens, and was optimistic AFL clubs' increasing willingness to draft slightly older players would open up an opportunity.
"I was looking forward to playing state league footy this year, I wanted to see how I went at VFL level but SANFL's going to be another challenge," he told The Daily Advertiser in November.
"Especially with AFL clubs tending to draft more mature age players, it becomes pretty exciting that if I play good footy there's a good chance I could have my name raised by recruiters again.
"I'll definitely aim for a big pre-season and have another crack at next year's draft. I'm in the gym and eating heaps of food trying to bulk up, I've put a couple of kilos on.
"I don't need to get too heavy I think, the way I play. There seems to be a lot of older bodies that have been around for a long time in SANFL, so they'll definitely try and be physical with me."
