By Russell Bennett and Nick Creely
The AFL draft dreams of a pair of local 18-year-olds came true on Friday night with Berwick’s Oscar Clavarino and Officer’s Callum Porter selected by St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs respectively.
Porter was selected with pick 74 – the fifth last choice of the National Draft – and is hell-bent on making every post a winner in the next chapter of his footy journey.
“I want to prove to the club (the Bulldogs) that they’ve made the right call and that I belong,” said the Gippsland Power best and fairest-winning midfielder who is renowned for his toughness and work ethic.
“I won’t let the recruiters or the club down. Earning the respect of the whole group is massive for me, particularly early on.”
Clavarino, a key defender from Berwick, is now officially a St Kilda player after being selected by the club at pick 35.
He had a stunning TAC Cup season for the Dandenong Stingrays as co-captain as well as winning a premiership with Haileybury, being a part of the AFL Academy, and patrolling the backline for Vic Country during the National Championships to earn All-Australian honours.
Described by many recruiters and team-mates as a “natural born leader”, Clavarino is one of the draft’s most mature characters and is viewed as a potential future captain at AFL level.
St Kilda’s media team captured the emotional moment that Oscar officially became a Saint, with the youngster’s closest family and friends bursting into tears as his name was read out, with current star David Armitage also present to deliver him his first club polo.
For more on both Porter and Clavarino, turn to page 46.
