From www.localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
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SAM Dwyer has known the deep disappointment of being overlooked in a succession of AFL drafts.
So the Port Melbourne ace chose not to follow this morning's rookie selections.
He figured he would soon find out one way or another.
It came in the form of a phone call from Borough coach Gary Ayres.
He was bearing good news: Collingwood had taken the 26-year-old, granting him his long-held ambition to make an AFL list.
"Bit surprised. I didn't watch it or listen or anything like that," Dwyer said.
"I've just stayed at work (he is an electrician with Port team manager Steve Carr).
"I've been through it a few times before so I thought this time I'd just let it run its course. I didn't want to get too excited about it.
"Ayresy' called me and let me know. Huge thrill."
Although there had been much talk the Maggies would draft Dwyer, and although they'd given him a training program, he said there had been no promises.
"They didn't give me an indication which way they were going to go, so I just thought I'd see how it worked out."
Dwyer said his chances of being drafted had slimmed each year, but he'd never given up.
"Mature-age players do get picked up these days, so you never know."
Ayres was elated for Dwyer, who joined the Borough in 2005 and has progressed from reserve grade best and fairest (2006), to VFL reserves best and fairest (2007), senior club champion (2009), premiership player (2011) and state representative (2012).
"Absolutely terrific news for Sam I've just got off the phone with him," Ayres said.
"I'm over the moon for him, as a terrific young man and a great little footballer.
"We've been saying for a long while that he should have got an opportunity and now he has.
"I just said to him, 'Hey, don't forget the old cockroach (coach) - 10 per cent of whatever you make is not a bad little fee'."
Ayres said he expected the right-footer to have an impact with the Magpies with his speed and skills.
The VFL's other stand-alone club, Frankston, produced two more draftees, with Kyle Martin going to Collingwood and Leigh Osborne to Gold Coast.
