Mattaes Phillipou doesn’t even know how he’ll be getting to training this week being just 17, without a driver’s license or a place to call home with a move from South Australia to Victoria imminent, but his enthusiasm to get started is an absolute certainty.

From the moment he pulled on the Saints guernsey – “gees, doesn’t it look good? Far out!”, he says – the eagerness and verve are unmistakeable, with every moment from draft night taken in with a unique blend of disbelief, self-affirmation and fascination.

Above all, the confidence is what cuts through the most. The young midfielder/forward knows he’s a top-10 pick for a reason, and the self-belief in his abilities is just as strong.

It’s why he’s rapt to have ended up in Victoria as opposed to his native South Australia, with his desire to play in big games and stand up in critical moments a perfect starting point as he prepares to embark on the next leg on his journey in red, white and black.

Phillipou was taken by the Saints with pick No. 10 at last night’s 2022 NAB AFL Draft, perhaps slightly lower than he thought with Essendon heavily linked to his services, but is eager to hit the ground running.

“It hasn’t really sunk in to be honest, it’s such a surreal moment,” Phillipou told saints.com.au.

“I just couldn’t really believe it when my name got read out, it’s unbelievable. It was pretty hard for me to find out where I was going to fall though, to be honest.

“A lot of clubs in that five-to-ten range had shown quite a bit of interest in me outside of Gold Coast, but once Cal Twomey’s rankings came out (on Saturday) and said the Saints, it was ‘alright, here we go!’.”

The potential upside on Phillipou had been talked about extensively in the lead-up to the draft, with his skillset and capabilities catching the eye of recruiters throughout the season just gone.

A versatile, 192cm left-footer who is strong overhead and can impact through the middle or up forward, Phillipou has likened himself previously to Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe and the Western Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli when it comes to on-field similarities.

Much like that same confidence that separates him from his peers, his athleticism also stands in its own category.

Phillipou is the combination of several sporting codes, all of which have been nurtured from an early age by his father and former Western Bulldogs player, Sam Phillipou.

Basketball, which he’d played all the way from juniors up until his draft year, has refined the agility, athletics and sprint work with his dad drilling in the importance of running and a strong fitness base, while swimming has been key in building upper body strength.

Even with all the right pieces in place, the will and the want to work hard and improve hasn’t budged, even after ticking off the first major milestone in landing on an AFL list.

There’s a point he wants to prove, and he’s backing himself in to see it through as quickly as he can.

“Being the underdog in a lot of situations has really prepared me well for my future,” Phillipou said.

“I’ve definitely got something to prove and I’m just going to set the tone with how hard I work. The rest should take care of itself.”