Bulldogs Make A Home For A Pair Of Parallel Careers

The Sunday Age

Sunday December 2, 2007

Karen Lyon

Draft week joined two players who first met playing under-age football in Mornington, Karen Lyon writes.

ANDREJS Everitt is only four months older than his mate Jarrad Grant but in the elite world of AFL football, it has made a weight of difference. The pair have been friends for most of their young lives, playing together since their junior days on the Mornington Peninsula and last week's draft reunited them at the Western Bulldogs.

Everitt's slight seniority made him eligible for the 2006 national draft, in which he was taken by the Bulldogs with their opening selection, and a year in the big league has won him the role as adviser, as his friend follows him into the AFL.

Despite their long friendship and years of being selected in the same representative sides, the pair have played little football together as Grant regularly played school football ahead of other forms.

The 18-year-olds met when they were pitted against each other in the ruck as 10-year-olds for the Frankston Bombers.

"He probably doesn't remember me, but he already had a bit of a name, being an Everitt. It was probably back in the under-11s. That is probably where I first met him," Grant said last week.

The pair were both selected for the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup competition, also winning spots in the Vic Metro team and with the Australian Institute of Sport-AFL Academy.

After one year apart, Grant was reunited with Everitt when the Bulldogs used their first pick in last week's draft to reunite the friends at Whitten Oval.

"I don't think it's real that we are at the same club. Coming from a small area down Frankston-Somerville way, ending up at the same AFL club is a bit bizarre but it is good," Grant said.

Everitt played eight games in his opening season and impressed the Bulldogs so much to be rewarded with the club's No. 3 jumper, worn previously by Chris Grant and Ted Whitten. He believes the addition of his mate to the list will help both improve their games.

"I have already told 'Rocket' (coach Rodney Eade) that he will improve me and I will improve him," Everitt said. "All of the time, we have always pushed each other, had competitions to see who could win. I am normally the better one."

Refusing to let the line hang in the air, Grant - a key forward who stands taller than 192 centimetres - can't help but interject. "I have him for pace," he quipped.

Before the draft, Everitt offered advice to Grant and is helping him through his initial days at the club.

"He is quick, he is just bang out of the gun, he will be a good leading forward," Everitt said. "He can take a mark, even for his size he can keep his feet."

When Everitt received the news his mate also was heading to the western suburbs, he was delighted.

"It is good to have someone like Jarrad at the club, and he is also the type of player that we need," he said.