After Alan Richardson broke the news in a team meeting on Wednesday, Josh Battle sat through another meeting with the forwards, before calling his Dad to change his plans for Friday night.
Battle, who was recruited with pick No. 39 – St Kilda’s second pick – in last November’s National Draft, will step out for the first time against Essendon under the bright lights of Friday night football, replacing the suspended Tim Membrey.
“It’s a pretty surreal moment finding out in front of the boys in the team meeting. ‘Richo’ broke the news to me and I was pretty stunned at the time and stoked and can’t wait to get out there,” Battle told saints.com.au on Thursday.
“As soon as I found out I went straight into a line meeting after that and then once the line meeting finished I went and rung Dad straight after that.
“When I told him I think he got a bit emotional so he said, ‘I’ll give you a ring back’. He’s helped me a lot to get to where I am now and I’m very grateful.”
WATCH: Josh Battle Highlights (video).
At 193cm tall, and with elite endurance and precision in front of goal, Battle moulds his game around Hawthorn premiership star Jack Gunston, West Coast’s Jack Darling and teammate Membrey.
“I look up to the third tall forwards like Jack Gunston, Jack Darling, even Tim Membrey; so it’s really good working with him. I try and bring some livelihood in the forward line and tackling pressure, work rate and getting up and back,” Battle said.
Combining his first year in the AFL system with his final year at Haileybury College hasn’t been easy, but the timing of Battle’s debut couldn’t be better given he is halfway through the winter school holidays.
“It’s been pretty tough (combining football and school). (Earlier in the year) I hurt my knee and I missed four weeks and that helped me get a little bit more stuck
“It’s actually school holidays at the minute, so it’s pretty good timing, I’ve been at the club flat out involved in more training and extra recovery.”
Battle admits it will be surreal to help spearhead St Kilda’s attack alongside a player he grew up idolising in Nick Riewoldt.
“It will be pretty surreal to get the chance to play with Nick Riewoldt. I idolised him as a kid as a guess all young kids do and looked up to him. Getting the chance to run out alongside him is pretty special,” he said.
