Hawthorn's Max Ramsden didn't always have plans to become an AFL player, and he knows he won't be one forever.
The 203cm ruck-forward hybrid gave up footy when he was younger, instead wanting to play basketball for the fun of it. That was the same reason he returned to school footy six years later, just wanting to spend time with mates and enjoy the "fun" of the sport.
Interest from the Sandringham Dragons arose from his time back on the field, with the South Melbourne Districts product linking up with a squad littered with future AFL stars.
A modest Ramsden believes the work of eventual Norm Smith Medal winner Will Ashcroft just made him "look really good" and aided his own draft prospects, but the 22-year-old is now finding his groove at the top level three years later.
A strong start to his 2022 Talent League campaign put Ramsden on the radar of AFL clubs keen on a project ruckman, with the Hawks swooping on his services with the sixth overall pick in that year's Mid-Season Draft.
Speaking to Zero Hanger, Ramsden admitted a career in football hadn't always been at the front of his mind, but it has been a nice surprise.
"I played footy and basketball when I was younger, and then sort of just gave up footy for a while in school. I just played basketball because it was fun," he said.
"Then I decided just after COVID to come back and play footy (at school), just because all my mates were just for a bit of fun. I wasn't really expecting to do anything with it.
"I got the opportunity to go play at the Dragons, thinking I'd give it a shot. I tried really hard but didn't think I was good or anything. They put me in the ruck, which I hadn't even played before, pretty much ever.
"I was surrounded by so much talent, they made me look probably better than I was at the time. I'd just hit it to Will Ashcroft every centre bounce, and he just made me look really good.
"It was just a really fun experience, and then the Mid-Season Draft came around and I had put my name in (for the National Draft the year before). I didn't really think too much of it.
"I started playing some good footy. It just all went from there pretty quickly. It was a bit of a surprise."
Now with eight AFL games under his belt, having held a role under senior coach Sam Mitchell in Hawthorn's past three wins after biding his time in the VFL with Box Hill, Ramsden is seeing his patience pay off.
A change in how he approaches the game mentally, and an understanding of the value of enjoying the game, have helped Ramsden this year, with the tall Hawk recently amassing a breakout game that saw him boot three goals against North Melbourne.
"It was good to finally put together a good game. I guess the last two weeks before that, I felt like I was doing my role, but wasn't really impacting that much," he said.
"To actually hit the scoreboard a bit and winning more than I had been just comes off patience. Playing VFL since I started with a few AFL games in between. Now I feel like I'm actually ready to go and good enough to play at the level. It's good to have that confidence.
"I've worked on my mentality a lot more than I had before. Before, I would be focusing a lot on my game and how to get better, but the mental side of it is so underrated. So I've been working on that a lot with Adrian Hickmott, and not stressing too much if I'm playing the VFL or AFL.
"I was thinking I had to play AFL this year, but then I switched my mindset to thinking as long as I'm getting better, it'll all work out.
"So I was just trying to enjoy my time playing in the VFL. I've got lots of good mates in both sides. So I'd enjoy playing with them and be a bit more carefree to focus on playing footy and playing well.
"There's no guarantee it'll keep going, I've got to keep up that mindset."
Ramsden's three majors in Tasmania last Saturday added to the hauls of fellow tall targets Jack Gunston and Mabior Chol, who kicked seven and five goals respectively, in the 85-point victory.
The same weekend, returning attacker Mitch Lewis had a positive comeback game in the VFL for Box Hill after a year on the sidelines with an ACL injury, while second-year Hawk Calsher Dear also pressed his case for a senior recall.
The selection squeeze at Waverley has been welcomed by the forward group, with Ramsden taking the opportunity to motivate himself rather than feel the pressure.
"We try and keep that enjoyment level, whether we're winning or losing," Ramsden said of his fellow forwards. "We try and just celebrate what each other are doing, and try and support each other even if it's hard or going well.
"The competition (for spots) is actually a really good thing. While it'll be putting pressure on me, 'Choly' and 'Gunners' in the team this week, we know there are no guarantees.
"I guess there's pressure, but it's more like motivation. It helps us train better and will help us get better quicker by putting that selection pressure on each other."
Currently studying a commerce and engineering degree at university, Ramsden knows football isn't forever.
He looks forward to completing his degree, whether that be during or after his AFL career, by wanting to "get the best out of both worlds".
"I was really big into maths and science at school, and it makes it hard to do that when I'm playing footy. But to be honest, I'd probably still be doing my degree right now (if I was never drafted),"
"I'm able to get the best out of both worlds. Footy, obviously, isn't forever, so this lets me tick over this Uni degree, and when I get out, I'm still gonna have to get a job, so I can go pursue that when I finish.
"I'm very grateful to be playing footy. I'd rather be doing that than working a nine-to-five."
