Q. How does it feel Brent to be picked up by Essendon – relief?
A. I feel very relieved and it is an honour to get this far and be drafted by an AFL club.
Q. Your mum shed a tear when your name was called out by Essendon, she is obviously happy you are staying in Melbourne?
A. It has been a big week leading up to the draft and it is hard to believe it is all over.
Q. Did you feel a lot of pressure this week?
A. Yes. I tried to analyse everything I could but in the end I just thought I will wait and see what happens.
Q. Did you have any idea that Essendon was going to draft you?
A. Not really. We chatted at the Draft Camp and then once on the phone. That was it and then I never heard from them until today.
Q. So I guess it must have come as a bit of a surprise?
A. I was definitely very surprised. I had a bit of a feeling that I was going to go interstate, so it is great to stay in Melbourne and it is a dream to be drafted by such a great club as Essendon.
Q. Essendon is going to be a great club to play for…
A. It is a great club and you can tell by the way they perform on the field and off the field. I am very excited to be drafted by them.
Q. What are your thoughts on the pre-season, are you ready to get into it straight away?
A. I ready to get straight into it. I started training with the Northern Knights last week, so I have done a little bit of lead up work, so I can’t wait to get into it with Essendon.
Q. Have you been an Essendon supporter all your life?
A. No, but I certainly am now!
Q. You are a mid-fielder, what are you looking forward to most about playing at Essendon?
A. Playing with James Hird, the Johnsons and the Peverills. If I get the opportunity, I will certainly cherish it.
Essendon’s selections:
Draft selection: 6, Kepler Bradley (West Perth)
Draft selection: 13, Brent Stanton (Northern Knights)
Draft selection: 28, Jay Nash (Central Districts)
Draft selection: Ricky Dyson (Northern Knights)
The BomberLand team will catch up with the new draftees this week when they arrive at Windy Hill.
2003 National Draft – Top 20:
1. Western Bulldogs – Adam Cooney (West Adelaide)
2. Carlton – Andrew Walker (Bendigo Pioneers)
3. Melbourne – Colin Sylvia (Bendigo Pioneers)
4. Western Bulldogs – Farren Ray (Peel Thunder)
5. Melbourne – Brock McLean (Calder Cannons)
6. Essendon – Kepler Bradley (West Perth)
7. Geelong – Kane Tenace (Murray Bushrangers)
8. St.Kilda – Raphael Clarke (St. Mary’s, NT)
9. Kangaroos – David Trotter (Calder Cannons)
10. Fremantle – Ryley Dunn (Murray Bushrangers)
11. West Coast – Beau Waters (West Adelaide)
12. Fremantle – Ryan Murphy (Gippsland Power)
13. Essendon – Brent Stanton (Northern Knights)
14. Adelaide – Fergus Watts (Sandringham Dragons)
15. Port Adelaide – Troy Chaplin (North Ballarat Rebels)
16. Sydney – Joshua Willoughby (Glenelg, SA)
17. Collingwood – William Morrison (Tasmania)
18. Brisbane Lions – Llane Spaanderman (East Perth)
19. Fremantle – David Mundy (Murray Bushrangers)
20. West Coast – Samuel Butler (Central Districts)
Former Essendon players Robert Forster-Knight and Jordan Bannister will both join new clubs next season after being selected in the National Draft today. Forster-Knight was selected by Port Adelaide with draft pick 39 and Carlton drafted Bannister with pick 69.
Click here to renew or purchase your 2004 Essendon membership.
