From Dominos to Punt Rd * Kym Morgan
* From: The Messenger
* November 18, 2010 9:09PMWHILE the nation's best young footballers sat nervously in front of their TVs watching the AFL national draft tonight, West Adelaide utility Bradley Helbig was at Dominos, Arndale, eating a pizza with his girlfriend.
That was where Helbig, 18, was when he received a call from the Bloods' under-18 assistant coach Andrew Marks to say he'd been picked up by Richmond with pick No. 47.
"I decided not to watch it to try to ease the nerves a little bit. I was with my girlfriend eating a pizza at Dominos Arndale and I got a phone call halfway through," Helbig said.
"Andrew Marks called me before the draft and told me he was going to watch it and that he would contact me as soon as he heard anything. He called me and gave me the news.
"It couldn't have happened in a weirder place I guess."
An in-and-under onballer, Helbig grew up in Waikerie on the Riverland and came down to Richmond three years ago.
He attended Henley High last year and was one of four players from the school - along with Jared Polec, Brodie Smith and Scott Lycett - taken in the draft.
Helbig said it was a surreal moment learning he had been drafted and receiving a phone call from Richmond coach and former Power premiership player Damian Hardwick.
"They spoke to me on Monday and said they were interested but there were no guarantees ...
"He (Damian Hardwick) called me about 15 minutes ago. It was all just surreal."
Helbig, who spent the past year working in the kitchen at the Bloods' function room, The Venue, will speak to the Tigers tomorrow to discuss the logistics of his move to Melbourne.
The ball-finder, who idolises Geelong star Joel Selwood, said he couldn't wait to enter the AFL system.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/from-dominos-to-punt-rd/story-fn525un5-1225955966161WELCOME to the Henley production line.
A school where talented young footballers arrive pimply-faced and starry-eyed and leave as polished performers with the world at their feet.
In what looms as an Australian first, SA's Henley High School could deliver an extraordinary 10 players to AFL clubs this year.
Brad Helbig
Age: 18. Height: 186cm. Weight: 78kg. Position: Midfielder/forward. Club: West Adelaide. Origin: Waikerie.
Draft projection: Rookie draft, 2010
Paul Whaley (Hawthorn scout): "Has an outstanding workrate and has shown a lot of improvement late in the season in being able to win the footy and use it with precision. Goes hard for four quarters and would be a nice development prospect.''
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/a-sea-of-talent/story-e6freckc-1225907479052