Isaac headed back to Sydney on a Thursday afternoon, in time to get some studying done before going back to school the next Monday morning.

He was sitting in the back seat of his parents’ car and they were halfway down the highway when Jude called to ask whether they had time to go into the club for a chat with Dennis Carroll, the general manager of the Swans Academy. Hmmm, thought Rochelle.

She had jumped in the car straight after work and so had Adam, still wearing his high-vis work gear.

All Isaac had on was a pair of grubby old football shorts. ‘Can we do it next week?’ she asked. ‘Give me a minute . . .’ said Jude, calling back to say it would only take a few minutes, that they might as well just drop in quickly on their way past.

They found a park, pulled up, Isaac dug a T-shirt out of his bag and they were met inside by Dennis, who took them upstairs and opened the door to the boardroom.

This is going to be really, really good or really, really bad, thought Rochelle as she realised the coach, football manager, recruiting manager and academy talent manager were all sitting in there, waiting for them.

Isaac knew what they were going to say before they even started; somehow, he just knew it. He felt disbelieving, relieved, thankful, appreciative, satisfied, lucky, all in the one moment.

'Isaac fits in with the guys, he works hard and he has all the attributes we’re looking for,’ said John Longmire. ‘We’re telling you now that we’re taking him.’

Extract from The Draftees by Emma Quayle, Published by Michael Joseph 26 August 2015, RRP $32.99. Available for purchase here.