Katanning product off to big league

Katanning has produced another elite football talent in Kade Stewart who was picked up by reigning premiers Hawthorn in the rookie draft last Friday.

Stewart, 18, was picked up by the Hawks, one of most successful clubs of the past few years, at pick number 36, easing some of the disappointment of missing out in the main draft earlier in the week.

The young midfielder said he was just coming back down to earth after finding out via text message he would be moving to Victoria.

"I grabbed my phone to check the app and there was a message on there saying congratulations on being a Hawk," he said.

"I was wondering if it was real because I couldn't get the app to load.

"By the time I got up to the house mum and dad had found out and it was all on from there."

Stewart said from that point his phone was flat-out receiving messages of support from friends and family and members of the community.

Stewart's selection comes off the back an injury-plagued 2015 season that threatened his chance of making it to the AFL but good performances in the back half of the year, including picking up the premiership flag for South Fremantle reserves, meant he was afforded his opportunity.

"This means everything to me," he said.

"It means all the hard work I've done over the last 10 years could pay off.

"Obviously I need to keep playing good footy and when I get my chance on the big stage I'll grab it with both hands."

Hawthorn recruiting and list manager Graham Wright said Stewart was a real talent.

"Kade's an AFL Academy player but he had a significant ankle injury early in the year which limited his preparation for the season," he said.

"He's a left-footer, a very good user of the ball and good overhead for his size and he's pretty tough and competitive.

"He needs to work on his body, he's only 70kg, so he needs to put some weight on but he has genuine talent."

The AFL Academy is an intensive training program that teaches the 35 most promising young players what it takes to succeed in the AFL.

"There is footy training but also talks from past and present players," Stewart said.

"It is basically spending a week learning what it's like to be an AFL footballer."

Stewart said he has put his electrician's apprenticeship on hold for now to pursue his AFL dream.