He’s well into his first AFL preseason, but Mitch Honeychurch is still pinching himself that he’s made it this far, after being picked in last month’s draft by the Western Bulldogs.
Selected at pick 60, the midfielder from the Eastern Ranges is enjoying his first few weeks at the kennel, finding his feet among a raft of young players.
“It’s been good, the boys made me feel really welcome and after easing us in the first week or so we’ve really stepped up training now,” Honeychurch says.
“It’s great to be at a club that’s so young and everyone’s in a similar boat.
“I’m just focusing on training and learning how the team functions while I’m vying for a spot with guys around the same age as me. We’re all there to play footy and have a crack, so that gives me a bit of confidence.”
Honeychurch has veteran Bulldog Shaun Higgins as his mentor, which he says has helped him ease his way into AFL life.
“He looks after me and we catch up a fair bit. He’s been fantastic so far,” Honeychurch says.
Higgins has had an injury-riddled career, something that Honeychurch can relate to all too well after sustaining two broken wrists last summer and a broken arm early last season.
While he recovered to make the under-18 All-Australian side, win Vic Metro’s MVP, and win a premiership with the Ranges, Honeychurch says he definitely had his doubts about whether he would be drafted.
“I just wanted to get back and play footy for the Ranges, it was a massive plus to make it into the AFL system,” he says.
Honeychurch suits the Dogs’ needs perfectly, a hard-ball winning machine with fantastic leg speed and a thirst for the contest. Ranges talent manager Anthony Parkin is thrilled with his progress this season.
“He did three times the running of the rest of the group when he had those injuries and it shows late in games when he’s still running hard,” Parkin says. “He’s a combative player and he’ll make a real fist of it in the AFL.”
Honeychurch will wear No. 22 for the Dogs when he makes his debut and while their results in 2013 weren’t great, he’s looking forward to a long future in the west.
“They finished the season off pretty well and they’re a developing club in that transition phase,” Honeychurch says.
“I’m just looking forward to getting stuck into next year and hopefully there’s bigger and better things to come.”
