After Logan McDonald’s name was called out at pick four of the AFL Draft on Wednesday night, his phone was lighting up with congratulatory messages as the 18-year old Western Australian was drafted to the Sydney Swans.
But there was one message which caught his eye a little more than the others. One from one of the greatest players in the game, who he will join in the red and white, fellow West Australian Lance Franklin.
“Yeah Buddy flicked me a message straight away, that was pretty crazy,” McDonald said.
“ I was a bit taken aback by it…. Buddy had just sent me a text!”
“He wished me the best and told me to enjoy the night and that he can’t wait to share the forward line with me next year, so that was pretty cool.”
McDonald was just two years old when Franklin was drafted in 2004 and the now teenager finds himself being in the best place to learn from one of the greatest to ever play the game.
“I will be trying to pick his brain as much as I can,” McDonald said.
"He’s a superstar and has been for a long time so if I can take a couple of things out of his game, I will be stoked with that and hopefully helps me develop my game.”
Franklin wasn’t the only Swan to reach out to McDonald with coach John Longmire calling him as soon as his name was read out alongside many other players and staff.
“They have all been brilliant and made me feel really welcome and I haven’t even met them all yet,” McDonald said.
McDonald is still letting his feet touch the ground after a whirlwind 48 hours which will see him relocate from Perth to Sydney to start his AFL career.
“It was all just a bit of blur to be honest,” McDonald said.
“I’ve had time to reflect with the family and it’s just started to sink in and I am rapt. I can’t wait to get over there and get stuck in, work hard and get respect from my teammates and coaches.”
McDonald said he thought Sydney was ‘the perfect fit’ for him with a balance of superstar players and exciting young talent to learn from and develop with.
“Sydney have been a big club for a very long time and to have the chance to learn off superstars like Buddy Franklin, Isaac Heeney, Luke Parker, Dane Rampe, it’s just an awesome fit.
“Getting to do it with Errol Gulden and Braeden Campbell who I have got to know over the process is just awesome too.”
“Sydney are in a good position going forward and I can’t wait to be part of that.”
