HEIGHT had always been an obstacle for pint-sized midfielder Travis Colyer, and as he sat down to watch the 2009 NAB AFL Draft with his nervous family it was an issue that reared its head again.

Beaming into the Colyer's Perth lounge room were the top 10 draft selections of 2009. One by one they were called onto the stage, greeted by their new coaches and presented with their club's jumper.  

As the country's best junior footballers shook hands with their new bosses, there was a trend emerging. "They're all making the coaches look tiny," Colyer's mother,  Barbara, said.

"There's no-one up there under 180cm," came the reply from Colyer's father, Chris, who was shuffling through a printed out phantom draft.

Indeed, from Essendon's No.10 pick Jake Melksham through to No.1 pick Tom Scully, a series of prototype modern midfielders strode onto the stage and cast their shadows over the likes of Chris Scott, Mark Harvey and Matthew Knights. 

The young Colyer, who stands 175cm, looked to the ceiling and took another deep breath. His height had become more of an issue as his football had become more serious, and football had never been as serious as today.

"It came up a bit last year," Colyer said of his height. "And you start to wonder, 'Am I big enough to play?'

"What's helped push me is the success of guys under 180cm in the system. To see them doing well has shown me it doesn’t matter how big you are. If you're good enough to play, you're good enough to play."

Chris and Barbara know their son is good enough to play, and there's no sign of nerves from older brother Perry or school friends Xavier and Mitch, who have popped in to see the draft that will change their mate's life.

"He's been a gun since I met him, and that was in year two," Xavier confidently declares.

Everyone is happy when state under-18s teammate Brad Sheppard is selected by West Coast at No.7 and fellow Sandgroper Kane Lucas is sent to Carlton shortly after. "He'll be rapt," Chris says.

As the second round commences, the live coverage cuts from the draft floor to an interview with No.1 pick Scully. "What are they doing?" everyone seems to ask at once.

As numbers continue to be called out in the background, names start scrolling along the bottom of the screen. Claremont teammate Nathan Fyfe's pops up, Ryan Bastinac is next and then another Tigers teammate in Gerrick Weedon.

Koby Stevens, Jake Carlisle, Aaron Black. Then, next to Essendon's red sash and the number 26: Travis Colyer.

There's an excited jump, a relieved smile, a succession of handshakes and a hug from Mum. Not only has Colyer been drafted, he's been drafted to "a club like Essendon" - a club for which the family seems to have an instant affection.

"My grandfather was a die-hard Essendon supporter and one of Dad's younger brothers still loves the Bombers," Colyer explains. 

"I didn't really know my grandfather that well - he died when I was really young - but to have that link, I know he'd be really happy for me."

Close friend Mitch Duncan is selected moments later by Geelong at No.28 and suddenly everyone is comfortable with the idea of Travis moving to Melbourne, putting his law degree on hold and becoming a professional footballer.

Barbara, who couldn't sit down before, during or after the draft, says getting out of the Perth fish bowl could be the best thing for her son's football.

"He's got an opportunity now and it'll be a fresh start," she says. "He really hit it off with Matthew Knights at the draft camp and I think Essendon will be a good club for him."

Chris agrees. He's watched his son represent WA at under-16 and under-18 level and this year win All-Australian selection. He describes a player who has ticked off every point on the checklist and would slip seamlessly into Essendon's run and stun game plan.

"He's become very good at running hard, picking the ball up and going flat out - it's great to watch," he says. "When you're that height you've got to have something different, and they just can't catch him.

"I always thought that he had the ability. Now he's got his opportunity."

Special thanks to the Colyer family for letting afl.com.au share in the drama and emotion of draft day