With a swathe of huge names due to return for the Melbourne Demons' round two clash with Brisbane, many predicted debutante Judd McVee would be lucky to hold his spot.
But for his dad Rod, having watched his son live out his dream on the MCG, it was never in doubt.
Three-and-a-half thousand kilometres away, Rod McVee said his son looked at home in Melbourne — picking up 14 touches in the Demons' thumping round one victory over the Western Bulldogs.
"It just felt like it was right," he said.
"You always wish that your kids play at the highest level but it's actually become a bit of a dream to [see] this is actually happening.
"He's obviously going to be playing a few games here, miss a few there, so he's actually going to be fighting for a spot every week, but that's nothing new to him — he's had to fight for everything."
Just four days before round one for the Melbourne Demons, the McVee family received the best possible news — their son was playing.
"I got a video call from him, so I sort of knew something was up because you don't get those calls unless they are picked," Mr McVee said.
The call came a year after Judd McVee was drafted to Melbourne with pick 16 in the 2021 rookie draft.
Mr McVee said playing a year in the VFL side helped take his son's footy to the next level, with some of the senior side's best defenders sharing their craft with him.
"Christian Salem took over his development, Steven May has been huge for him as well and Jake Lever was pretty good there, so he learnt a lot in his first year," he said.
That support extended on to the field, Mr McVee said, with Dees midfield leader Angus Brayshaw providing a crucial boost on the day.
About 20 people travelled to Melbourne for the game including family, friends, trainers and McVee's former local club president.
Mr McVee said the whole night was a milestone for the family.
"There's a photo of him with the ball tucked under his arm and he's just smiling, running down the middle of the G, it's awesome," he said.
"Just to be on the G, the crowd, the noise.
"The way he played the other night, to me it looked like he'd played 50 odd games, he looked pretty calm."
Midwest footy factory
WA's Midwest is known for producing great AFL talents, with the likes of Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps and now retired premiership player Josh Kennedy making their mark in the AFL books.
In addition to Cripps and Kennedy, Northampton alone has produced Harry Taylor (Geelong), Jamie Cripps (West Coast), Daniel Chick (Hawthorn/West Coast), Paul Haselby (Fremantle), Tarkyn (Collingwood) and Andrew (West Coast) Lockyer, and Liam Anthony (North Melbourne).
Judd McVee grew up in Geraldton, about 500 kilometres north of Perth, playing for Rovers Football Club in the Great Northern Football League.
"There was something special about him, there's always been something pretty cool," Mr McVee said.
"He's always had a left foot, he's been able to bounce the ball left and right-handed."
McVee is the first Rovers player drafted onto an AFL list since Liam Ryan went to West Coast.
As the list grows each year, Mr McVee said it was hard to believe the talent that keeps coming.
"It's [a] remarkable stat, that one," he said.
