OLLIE Greeves couldn't bring himself to watch the Rookie Draft. He was projected to be picked in the first round of the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft, but the inside midfielder wasn't selected on night one. His name wasn't read out on night two either. Prospects have slid before, but seldom like this. 

Greeves had put the finishing touches on a dazzling underage CV by winning Vic Metro's MVP award, earning All-Australian section and finishing runner-up in the Larke Medal, before leading the Eastern Ranges to a premiership where he was named in the Talent League Team of the Year, but recruiters questioned his work rate. 

The 19-year-old was sitting out by the pool at home when there was a commotion inside last November. Hawthorn had its application to gain access to Greeves as a Next Generation Academy player rejected by the AFL earlier in the year. Now they had circled back for him, ending almost 48 hours of anguish by selecting him at pick No. 12 in the Rookie Draft.

"I was sitting outside (because) I didn't even want to watch the Rookie Draft; I'd already watched two nights of the draft and hadn't had my name called out. (My) parents were inside watching it, and I didn't really think about watching it," Greeves told AFL.com.au after Sunday’s win over Richmond. 

"All I heard was Riley Beveridge say, 'A lot of people will be happy with this one'. My family was screaming and I just appreciate them. Ringing them to tell them that I was debuting was probably the best experience of my life, just to hear the joy. They've been through all the ups and downs with me and I just really loved it. It was so good."

Greeves played 13 games for Box Hill to start the season before an opportunity presented in round 18. He rolled up his sleeves in the wet last Saturday night and collected 16 touches against Carlton on debut, then returned to the MCG on Sunday and finished with 14 disposals, seven score involvements and his first goal in AFL football against Richmond.

"Oh, I couldn't be happier. The boys, the club, Hawthorn… everyone's embraced me. I'm just so happy to be out there and just loving my footy so much at the moment. I couldn't be at a better team either as well; I just love this club," Greeves said.

Sam Mitchell lived a somewhat similar experience to Greeves 25 years earlier but was completely overlooked in 2000. He had to go to the VFL before being drafted out of Box Hill in 2001, then became a modern great of Hawthorn.

The Hawks coach reminded Greeves early in the pre-season that many have done it harder, pointing out examples inside the Kennedy Community Centre. Get on with it now was the message. 

"Sam told me hard stories happen, at least you got on a list, people have missed out," he said. "It was a good conversation and put things in perspective and I think it actually helped me for the rest of pre-season. I didn't look at it like, why me or what happened? I just wanted to be out there and prove to this football club that I can be a player on the team."

Jai Newcombe was, obviously, one of the examples cited. The 24-year-old has catapulted from mid-season recruit in 2021 to co-captain this year. He won the 2024 Peter Crimmins Medal after finishing runner-up twice, while developing his outside game to become a Brownlow Medal contender.

"Jai is probably everything. He's been the best to me. He takes me under his wing. We do everything together, we do extra touch together in the mornings and just shown me the ropes," Greeves said.

"I stayed with Jai when I first got to the club for a couple of weeks, and that was amazing. He taught me a lot and he's helped me fit into the footy club a lot. I went over two nights before the game for dinner and cool the nerves a little bit. 

"I'm hoping that some of his magic rubs off on me. But he's so good, he's the greatest leader, and I couldn't speak highly enough of him. He's obviously leading the football club so well at the moment and just an amazing person as well."

Greeves joined Hawthorn on a one-year rookie contract and is yet to secure another deal for 2027. But the prospect of a first off-season program and a full pre-season is something he believes will take his game to another level.

"I believe I can do the work and I can build up the weaknesses that people saw in my running. I look forward to attacking the pre-season – obviously still a lot of time this year and hopefully lots of success this year to come – but yeah, I just I feel like the full pre-season body changes. Everyone says their body changes and I truly believe that I'll do the work," he said.

"I guess that was part of the thing when I was watching the draft, it was like, I just want someone to give me a chance to show them that I can do the work. I worked hard when I was underage to get where I was, but it's gone to another level now."

Greeves is now out to prove people wrong. 

"It definitely pushes me to prove Hawthorn right and prove to them that they made the right decision," he said. "There's a little bit about proving people wrong as well. I just enjoy being out there and I'm loving it.

"I feel like they've invested me in me, Hawthorn, and I really hope that I can stay here. I just love being out there playing the last two games and I hope to play many more."

Those two games have quickly made up for those two tough nights in November. 

Now Greeves is determined to ensure that the 'draft slide' tag is a small footnote in his journey as he chases more.