Lovett found out last Thursday that he was the rookie that had been promoted. Football operations manager Dominic Cato and assistant coach Mark Harvey delivered the good news to the 21-year-old.
""Dominic and Harvs told me that I had been picked. As they told me that I said to Mark Harvey ""Are you for real?"" I was happy but kind of shocked that it happened,"" Lovett said.
""It has taken a while to sink in, I actually had trouble sleeping on Thursday night. It’s sunk in now and I’m heading in the right direction.""
Despite his elevation, Lovett was not picked in the senior team to play Carlton in Round 19. As he has done all season, he played for the Bendigo Bombers and he was a key member of the team’s 37-point victory. Lovett booted three goals in the third quarter and finished with four for the game.
Lovett said that his elevation to the senior list was extra incentive to play well. ""I was a bit down on form after the last month. I just thought I had to come out and try and have a crack and have a good game.
""It was sort of hard at that stage because I thought that if I go out and have a good game then I might put my hand up for the seniors. I just wanted to get my form up and take it from there,"" he said.
Lovett will be back in action for Bendigo today at Windy Hill against Coburg. He is keen for another big performance to help him achieve his goal of playing senior football this season.
Assistant coach Dean Wallis said that Lovett was close to debuting last night for Essendon against Collingwood. ""He was heavily talked about at selection this week. If he puts in another good performance in the VFL, he will come under consideration for the following games,"" Wallis said.
Lovett has often sought advice this season from his cousin Nathan Lovett-Murray. Only seven days separate the cousins in age and the pair found themselves in the same situation at the start of the season when they were both rookie listed players. The cousins were looking forward to playing the season together for Bendigo until Lovett-Murray was elevated to the senior list prior to round 1.
Lovett-Murray has played 17 games for the seniors this season and the cousins have only played together once this year. The pair played for Bendigo against Box Hill in Round 13. The cousins will be teammates again today when they do battle against Coburg at Windy Hill.
""Nathan has told me throughout the season to work hard and that if the opportunity comes then take it. He said to make sure that I am ready if I get a call up and I hope to get a game with him in the near future,"" Lovett said.
