Regarded as one of the best defenders of the 2023 National AFL Draft class, Connor O'Sullivan's Aussie Rules journey began later than many would have expected.
Looming as a contender to be chosen within the first ten picks of next week's draft, O'Sullivan has risen through the ranks this year thanks to a strong campaign with the Allies at the National Championships.
The key defender would end the campaign being crowned as the Allies' best player of the carnival in their undefeated maiden premiership-winning run.
With multiple teams interested in his services, the Murray Bushrangers talent will rival Ollie Murphy (Sandringham Dragons) and Dan Curtin (Western Australian MVP) as the best-ranked key defender in his draft class.
A skilled dual-athlete in Aussie Rules and basketball, O'Sullivan revealed to Zero Hanger that he nearly went down the route of playing basketball professionally rather than continuing his football career.
"I've always been passionate about my basketball, and for a long time, it was probably my favourite sport", O'Sullivan told Zero Hanger.
"A lot of the time, I was balancing footy and basketball at the same time, so I didn't really commit to both or see where either could really take me up until last year when I committed to footy.
"But for a long time, definitely, I thought it could be an opportunity for me to just focus on basketball, but in the last couple of years, that sort of shifted, and I changed my mind and went with footy."
O'Sullivan isn't the only Aussie Rules prospect to have decided on the Sherrin over a basketball.
Long before he became Collingwood's most capped player and a two-time premiership player, Scott Pendlebury was extremely close to going down the route of playing professional basketball, and played with NBA star Patty Mills at the junior level.
In Mills' case, he gave up on pursuing an AFL career to became one of Australia's best-ever basketball players, despite claiming All-Australian honours at the 2004 National Championships.
"I think definitely one of the biggest (reasons) was getting the opportunity to play Grand Final Day last year in the Under-17s Futures match," O'Sullivan added.
"I was playing some alright footy for the Bushrangers but sort of didn't really know much about the whole talent pathway - I was just sort of playing cause I was invited to.
"Once I got that invite, I sort of realised that, and a few people spoke to me and said if you really commit 100 per cent of your time to this, it could open up a lot of doors. So I thought I'd take their advice (and) give it a crack.
"If it doesn't work out, I can always go back to basketball, but that game sort of set them part, just that experience and getting to play on the MCG.
"No matter what happens in footy now, I'll be able to say that I got to play a game there and it's something I'll hold pretty special and pretty close to my heart."
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A Sydney Swans fan growing up, O'Sullivan lists his idols as Adam Goodes, Chad Warner and Luke Parker, having admired their games, both in the past and present.
Having idolised them, O'Sullivan admits it would be a "surreal" feeling if he ever went up against Warner or Parker.
While he might not have initially been in the top 10 conversations, O'Sullivan could be on the end of a selection as early as the top six at the draft.
Geelong Cats at Pick 8 could be of interest - a club that he saw defeat his boyhood team in the 2022 Grand Final - while both the Essendon Bombers and Adelaide Crows, who hold the following two selections, would also be keen on O'Sullivan.
He has also had interviews with Alastair Clarkson (North Melbourne) and Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn Hawks), but doesn't have a preference on where he ends up landing.
Trying to stay away from visualising or reading any mock drafts that different outlets have put out, he learned a key lesson from going up to GWS for the AFL Academy experience.
"They tried to reiterate to their players that it doesn't matter whether you're the first or last pick. You're all the same when you get into the club," he explained.
"That's something that I sort of tried to remember through this period as everything's sort of in the media and stuff, so I'm trying my best just not to think about it, and whatever happens will happen."
Taking home the MVP honours for the Allies, O'Sullivan averaged 17.8 disposals at an efficiency of 86 per cent to go with 8.2 marks per game from his four matches.
His strong bodywork and clean hands in marking contests have O'Sullivan so highly touted, while his size allows him to go head-to-head with senior opposition. This has seen him garner comparisons to the likes of Harrison Petty and Sam De Koning.
"To be held in that sort of regard is an honour and something that you don't take with a grain of salt," he told Zero Hanger.
"People obviously do comparisons and stuff, but you want to be your own person, but it's also a very privileging thing to be associated with those names.
"I'm definitely excited to build my own sort of unique career, but at the same time, to get that recognition is something that you can't just shove under the carpet. It's pretty special."
While O'Sullivan goes into the draft as a key defender, he has played in the forward line in the past and isn't opposed to playing in other positions on the field - prepared to do whatever his coach needs of him.
"I don't really have a favourite position or anything like that. I got a little bit more comfortable down back this year playing the Nationals down there but...I also played forward and a little bit of midfield this year as well," he said.
"What I enjoy about my game is that I'm not sort of pigeonholed into one position, so I think that gives me a good ability to sort of adapt to whatever situation I'm in.
"Nowadays, all players need that versatility because you really don't know where you're gonna end up playing."
Questioned on what advice he would provide to the younger generation coming through the ranks who have the dream of being a top draft prospect or playing in the AFL in the future, O'Sullivan said to just enjoy whatever is presented to you.
"Embrace opportunities as much as you can. Definitely say yes to everything," he concluded.
"If a coach wants you to play new positions or try something new, definitely embrace the ability to learn and enjoy new experiences and opportunities."