North Ballarat Rebel Nick O'Brien is now a Bomber

FOUR North Ballarat Rebels last night realised their AFL dream.Nick O’Brien, Sebastian Ross, Rory Taggert and Tom Downie will step up from the TAC Cup under-18 competition after being selected in the national draft in Sydney.Ross from Horsham was the first of the quartet picked up.St Kilda used selection 25 to secure to the midfielder, who represented Vic Country in this year’s national under-18 championships.Taggert, also from Horsham, went to Melbourne at selection 36.Then followed Downie, a former Australian under-17 basketball representative from Benalla, to Greater Western Sydney with pick 56 and Ballarat’s O’Brien to Essendon at selection 59.O’Brien captained the Rebels and skippered St Patrick’s College to a Herald Sun Shield premiership at the MCG this year.The 18-year-old said he grew more nervous as the draft played out and had to check twice when his name was called.“I’m still pretty shocked. I didn’t really know my fortunes and haven’t had much contact with clubs the past couple of weeks,” O’Brien said.“I saw my name and face come up on the TV and, even though seeing is believing, I still wanted to hear my name on the radio first.”O’Brien, who hails from Snake Valley and the Carngham-Linton Football Club, said it had been very much a team effort to help him achieve what he has in his sporting career, including cricket in which he represented Australia at under-15 level. And he could not be prouder to represent them all.“I probably get more of a kick out of making all them happy,” O’Brien said.O’Brien watched the draft with his parents Helen and Tim, siblings Justin, Aimee, Jarrod and Dean, both sets of grandparents, a couple of aunts and four close mates.This included Brad Crouch, of Ballarat, who was picked up in the GWS mini-draft and on-traded to Adelaide last month.O’Brien said it was fitting that they both left for their new clubs on Sunday.Parents, Helen and Tim, said it was a relief to see their son drafted after all his hard work. They opened their house to extended family and friends to celebrate after the draft last night.North Ballarat Rebels regional manager Phil Partington, speaking from Sydney after attending the draft, said it was an outstanding outcome for Western Victoria and Ballarat’s ability to attract youngsters from beyond the region.He said, with Brad Crouch, it was five good stories for the Rebels’ program.Partington said at the other end of the scale there were boys disappointed to have missed out. He said they would get another opportunity in the rookie draft on December 13.Meanwhile, former Waubra footballer and Melbourne captain James McDonald officially came out of retirement last night.McDonald was drafted by GWS at pick 87 last night.