Will Snelling had all but given up on a second chance in the AFL.
Delisted by Port Adelaide at the end of 2018 after just one game in three seasons, the South Australian returned to SANFL club West Adelaide while juggling a health and medical science degree and part-time work as a barista.
But just months later, Essendon – the club he grew up barracking for – came knocking with a surprise selection of the 22-year-old in the inaugural mid-season rookie draft.
“To be honest, I pretty much put (second chance) it out of my mind,” Snelling told RSN 927 on Tuesday.
“I had a pretty full plate after 2018. I went back to full-time uni and had a barista job at the time, so I was pretty much just focusing on getting my coffee right.
“The night of (getting drafted to Essendon) I was at training (at West Adelaide) and it hadn’t really gone through my head that I had some packing to do, and then next thing I know I have to be carted off to Melbourne the next day.
“It was great and unexpected, and I had no idea it was actually coming.
“Essendon was the only club I spoke to. Everyone tries to keep their cards close to their chest, and basically it was Essendon or bust, so I’m pretty happy they picked me.”
Suiting up for his 11th game in the red and black, Snelling returned on Sunday to Adelaide Oval, the place where his career rebooted late last year when he played his second AFL game 1056 days after his first.
He’s proven to be a shrewd selection for the Bombers, featuring in every game this season and setting a new career-high for tackles (11) on Sunday.
While held in high regard for his contested work, improving other facets of his game has allowed Snelling to become more rounded and thrive in the AFL this time round.
“One thing I’ve noticed is that the SANFL is a very contested game and it works to my skills on the contested side of things,” he said.
“Coming across to the VFL last year and subsequently in the AFL, I’ve been getting that balance between inside and outside where I can use run on the outside and not be predominantly based on contested possession.
“Playing a bit of half-forward at the end of last year and start of this year has added another string to my bow in terms of reading the play rather than having to be the one to distribute out of the packs. I’ve managed to get more balance, which has been great.
“As part of as our trademark as a team, we’re really trying to build pressure and we’re getting that look at the moment with our balance of guys.”
The Bombers will be striving for their sixth win of the season when they return to Metricon Stadium on Friday night to face the second-placed Lions.
While hosting Brisbane on the Gold Coast may seem more like an away game, Snelling said he was backing the Bombers' large continent of fans in the Sunshine State to give the side a lift.
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"Essendon is a massive club and one that I barracked for all the way up. It’s not surprising to get to Adelaide, to get to Perth and to Queensland and to have a good representation of the (Essendon) crowd," he said.
"On the plane to come back from Adelaide, we had a few supporters out by the gate next to the entrance waving their flags and singing the song. That was great. Some of the passion we get to experience goes a long way, particularly in tight games like on the weekend."
