Blakiston’s ammos-to-AFL story via East Fremantle

Lachie Blakiston is living proof that you should never give up on your AFL dream.

The 26-year-old Shark-turned-Bomber was drafted by Essendon with pick 13 in Wednesday night’s AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft.

The 203cm ruckman only has 21 games of senior experience for East Fremantle and only played his first game of WAFL reserves in 2022 – when he was at their cross-town rivals South Fremantle.

Before that, Blakiston was still playing amateurs for Cockburn Cobras in the Perth Football League where he had quite the resume.

During his time at the Cobras, he won the C3 competition’s and his club’s best-and-fairest awards in 2021, was part of their C4 premiership in 2019 and had multiple top-three finishes in league and colts vote counts.

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“We are incredibly proud of Lachy and wish him every success as he chases his AFL dream with the Bombers. Well done, Lachy!” the Cobras said in an Instagram post.

A stunned Blakiston admitted he thought he was a better chance last season and that the opportunity may have passed him by.

“I am a bit lost for words to be honest. I cannot believe it’s happened, I’m seriously just speechless,” Blakiston told The West Australian.

“I definitely thought my opportunity to get to the next level is not as likely as it was last year but there’s always hope when I was tracking the way I was.”

With an injury crisis among Essendon’s ruck department, Blakiston’s AFL debut is certainly within reach.

The Bombers’ national recruiting manager Rob Forster-Knight said the club had been watching the Sharks tall for a couple of years and felt he could provide “immediate” support in the ruck.

“We’ve been watching Lachlan for the last couple of years and he’s been developing really well,” Forster-Knight said.

“He’s 26, so mature age. With Vigo Visentini and Todd Goldstein doing a great job at the moment, we understand it’s a long year and they need support, we feel Lachlan offers that immediate support.

He’s a very mobile player, a very athletic player and very good at ground level as well, so we think he can come in and offer that support in the ruck.”

Blakiston was one of four WAFL players drafted on Wednesday night including Subiaco forward Archer May who also landed at Essendon.

Peel Thunder premiership defender Michael Sellwood (Western Bulldogs) and West Perth wingman Roan Steele (Collingwood) were also picked up.