Fred Rodriguez has transformed his disappointment into motivation after being passed over in the national draft. The talented midfielder was selected by the West Coast Eagles with the first pick in the rookie draft, a decision he hopes will prove the doubters wrong.
Rodriguez, who played for South Fremantle and enjoyed a remarkable season, was initially devastated by the lack of interest shown in him during the national draft. He made his league debut for the eventual WAFL champions and also captained Western Australia, earning MVP honors and a spot on the under-18 All-Australian team.
Reflecting on his emotions, Rodriguez admitted, “I was gutted. I felt empty; you never plan for things to go wrong. I definitely didn”t know how to take it. I was trying to work my way through that and then holding out hope for today,” he told The West Australian.
His spirits lifted significantly when he received a call from the Eagles, informing him of their decision to pick him. “I was down at South Beach with my Dad, trying to clear my head, and then they called me. They said they were taking me at pick No. 1, so it was a pretty special moment. I was mainly relieved to be honest. I got my spot, got my chance, and I”m just relieved. It”s like the wait”s over,” he shared.
Although Rodriguez grew up as a devoted fan of the Fremantle Dockers and idolized dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe, he is ready to embrace his new role with the Eagles. “It did feel a bit weird putting the guernsey on. Definitely 10 years ago, I would”ve chucked it away. But it”s super special, and I”m grateful to West Coast,” he said.
Now that he is officially on the Eagles” roster, Rodriguez is eager to demonstrate to the other 17 clubs what they missed. “I”ve always been like that. I find things to use, and getting overlooked by everyone in the national draft and having to be a rookie will be a big piece for me,” he stated. “I”ve played just about every position on the ground. I don”t really mind where it is. If I get an opportunity to play, I will take it with both hands no matter where it comes.”
Rodriguez is optimistic about his new team”s potential, noting that their recent draft selections have been impressive. “They”re definitely going places, and I don”t think they (West Coast) are going to be long down the bottom. It should be good to get stuck in over the next couple of years,” he added.
In related news, the Eagles opted not to select Subiaco forward Wes Walley as a category-B rookie, despite having the opportunity and a roster spot available. West Coast is expected to finalize its list on Monday, which will include former Brisbane midfielder Deven Robertson and other players through the pre-season supplemental selection period.
