A lot of nerves quickly turned into excitement for Harvey Thomas last night as he became the latest Riverina talent to end up on an AFL list.
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Thomas was selected by Greater Western Sydney (GWS) with pick 59 in the third round of the AFL Draft on Tuesday night.
Harvey is the son of Russ and Jo Thomas and he said that he was rapt to be picked up by the Giants.
"It's surreal," Thomas said.
"For it all to change overnight and what I've got ahead of me now it's exciting.
"I was just rapt with how it played out and how I'm going to be a Giants player."
Watching the broadcast with family in Melbourne, Thomas revealed that he was largely kept in the dark about his draft chances.
"Originally I was going to watch it with just my direct family," he said.
"Then other family showed up, they drove from Yarrawonga because they found out earlier than what I did that it was probably a good chance of happening.
"That was hidden from me by Dave Trotter so they all came up thinking it was pretty certain to happen and I was able to share it with them as well."
Although behind the scenes Thomas' fate was already decided, the young utility admitted the nerves increased throughout the night as draft entered it's latter stages.
"I've since been told that it was going to happen last night," he said.
"But being made to wait it was just more strategic waiting it out as long as they could.
"I didn't really know what was going on so I was very nervous, the later it went into the night the more nervous I got."
A Giants Academy member since the age of 13, Thomas said it was great that he could continue his journey with GWS at AFL level.
"They've been able to support me throughout my junior footy career," he said.
"When you look at the names that have done it before me like Harry Perryman and Harry Himmelberg and the likes of those.
"It's pretty inspiring to see what they've done from the academy and being homegrown talents.
"It's for sure exciting."
Perryman and Himmelberg are now established stars at the Giants however Thomas revealed there was one player in particular he was looking forward to meeting once he makes the move to Sydney.
"I think the obvious one is Toby Greene," he said.
"It's probably the case for most of the boys going up.
"But I'm keen to get to know as many as I can as soon as I can.
"It will be good."
Thomas was one of five new players brought in by the Giants over the past couple of days alongside Phoenix Gothard (pick 12), James Leake (17), Joe Fonti (44) and Nathan Wardius (rookie).
Three of the five are NSW talents and Thomas said he had ties the majority of his new teammates.
"I've got two Allies boys which I played with this year," he said.
"Then also Nathan Wardius who's just been picked up in the rookie draft, I was able to play juniors footy with him.
"It'll be a good crew that we've got."
