There is a certain message that Richmond father-son prospect Archie Daffy continues to come back to.
One that Dad, Nick, who played 165 games for the Tigers, embedded into him long before football squads and draft rankings entered the picture.
"No one gives you anything."
For the Richmond father-son prospect, it has become something close to a personal motto, built upon weekly.
When the Vic Country list was announced last month, Daffy's name was missing.
For a player who felt his game was trending upward, the missed chance hurt, and created a drive inside to show his talent.
"I was pretty devastated," Daffy told Zero Hanger.
"I felt I had a pretty good trial and got some good reports back.
"I've faced a lot of that throughout my career. Didn't really make the V-teams. Came in through that and played 16 Falcons games. Missed out on the summer hub. I knew I had to fight for that trial match."
Every door that didn't open became the next wall to run through. That has been the Daffy attitude.
The Richmond connection runs deep in the Daffy household. Nick Daffy won the Tigers Best and Fairest in 1998 and leading the goalkicking in 1995, a decorated career that gave Archie not just a pathway to Punt Road, but an insider seat to what high performance actually demands.
"With him being in that elite pathways back in his day, it's really helped me with work ethic and the professionalism and how to go about things," Archie said.
"We're always looking at things to get better at. I love feedback. Whether we look before games or after games at what I need to work on, he's been unbelievable.
"I'd love to follow Dad's path at Tigerland and do what he's done. But at the end of the day it comes down to how I'm performing."
The pair even sneak in early morning sessions together when the timing allows.
"I had a spare period in the morning and we'd discussed the night before that we'd go for a kick before school," Daffy said.
"We went to the oval working on everything, even just quick hands or kicking goals on both feet."
That performance-first mindset has been clear through every Tuesday with the Tigers VFL list, where Daffy has been a regular training presence with the group, a decision made early in the pre-season to build a foundation before linking with the AFL group.
"I never thought I'd be taking it on at VFL level," he admitted.
"There's been match scenarios at Richmond and I love it. The confidence I have there, with the boys getting around me has built me as a player."
It is a crowded week for Daffy. School commitments at Geelong College with the APS program, as well as playing for the Falcons in the Talent League. Tuesday sessions with the Tigers back in Melbourne. A drive taken with Tigers VFL player, and former Falcons teammate Daniel Lowther, who has forged a strong connection with Daffy.
"We're on the same journey. We build each other up, give each other feedback," Daffy said of those drives.
"In the car rides come, we love just letting everything out and what we're feeling."
With Lowther now sidelined for the season with an ankle injury, Daffy has leaned into a different kind of responsibility around keeping his mate's spirits up while keeping his own focus at the forefront.
"It's good to have him in my ear while I have been forming into my draft year. But I'm also in his ear letting him know that the journey's not always just that one year," Daffy said.
On the field, the half-forward role is where Daffy sees his future. It is a position he describes as unforgiving, high demand, constant movement, accountability at both ends, yet one he has grown to embrace.
"I've had a lot of people telling me that it is a very hard role and I've experienced all the ups and downs of it," he said.
"But I think I handle it pretty well. I'm able to get up the ground and have an impact, and then I have the speed to get myself back and get dangerous inside 50."
A 26-disposal performance for Geelong College in recent weeks underlined the point. The ability to accumulate, to run, to create and now, to convert in front of goals.
"I think it comes down to kicking goals. That's something I need to work on and develop into my game as much as I can,” Daffy added.
His GPS numbers are comparable to some AFL half forwards, while his athletic power is highlighted by his elite Talent League pre-season testing, where Daffy dominated the charts.
Among the Falcons list, he recorded the highest vertical jump, finished second in the 20m sprint, and placing third in both the running jump and agility test.
These explosive weapons give him the perfect athletic blueprint to take the game on and he has a trio of AFL players he models his game on.
"I love Zak Butters, I love the way he attacks the ball so I try and build my game around how he goes about hunting. I love how he hunts the ball," Daffy said.
"And then Kozzy Pickett, I love watching him run around and play and kick the classy goals. And then looking at Sully Robey, how he went from being one of the biggest bolters and going top 10 after not playing champs."
For Daffy, the path ahead is clear. More Falcons games. Potential VFL appearances if form demands it. And finishing the APS season strongly.
No one is going to hand him anything. He learned that a long time ago.
And right now, that might be exactly what makes him dangerous.
