‘There’s a lot of me that hasn’t been discovered yet’: Girgarre’s Brayden George set to unleash untapped potential

George, who had spent the majority of the season recovering from a knee injury, lined up at centre half-forward for the Bushies after a successful return against Bendigo Pioneers the week prior.

He was the ace in the pack for a Bushrangers squad that had yet to realise its full potential, with his game-breaking ability having the potential to lift his team to September glory and his name into bright lights ahead of the draft.

It was set to be the ultimate swansong to the incredible journey that was George’s junior career.

But as we all know football can be a cruel game, with one contest early in the first half changing the narrative from jubilation to despair, as the 18-year-old went down on the Williamstown turf clutching his knee.

“Coming back after that first knee injury in the Pios game I was on top of the world. Getting back out there and playing footy was fun and my body felt incredible the game was coming very easily to me,” George said.

“Heading into that Sandringham game I was full of confidence, so when I fell to the ground and did my ACL it felt like my whole world fell on top of me.

“When I landed I felt the instant pain and then nothing, which is all you hear about ACL injuries, so when I was on the field I immediately feared the worst and I let the emotions get to me that day.

“Afterwards the physio said it doesn’t look good, but there was still a chance I hadn’t done it, so I took that bit of hope and grasped on to it for a couple of days.

“But when it was confirmed those emotions sprung up again as I came to realise I would miss out on doing something I love for 12 months.”

Three months out from draft night George's life had been flipped on its head and he was unsure as to how the injury could affect his chances of being picked up.

But rather than wallow in self pity, the teenager did what he had done so often through his budding football journey.

He persevered, with a change of mindset the key as he began his rehabilitation and experienced the draft combine in unique yet rewarding circumstances.

“(After the initial shock) I quickly came to realise I had done all I could to put myself forward, so from that point my mindset was all about controlling what I could control and just enjoying the last bit of the ride before draft night,” George said.

“I obviously wasn’t able to participate in the draft combine, but I was still invited to go down there and that was an experience I will forever be grateful for.

“I learnt a lot about myself and, even though not participating was hard, being able to help others get through really gave me joy and gave me a bit of a fresh perspective.”

While the lead-up to the draft has been far from ordinary, George’s football journey began in similar fashion to millions of kids across the country.

Following in the footsteps of his brother, his first memories of playing football come from epic backyard battles, which sparked his interest to join junior outfit Stanhope Girgarre Rushworth Giants.

Playing juniors at SGR, Tatura and later Girgarre, George developed a love for the game, but it wasn’t until a break-out season at age 16 that the pathway to becoming an elite level footballer emerged.

“In my younger years I didn’t really make any state or rep teams or anything like that, I was just a regular young kid out there playing footy really,” he said.

“It wasn’t really until my 16s that things really started happening, I really dedicated myself to footy over that off-season and as a result played in my first interleague game and made it into the Murray Bushrangers program.

“From there all the rep Victoria stuff came at once, so it was a whirlwind experience that hit me right in the face.”

Emerging as one of the state’s most exciting young football talents, George and his family had a number of decisions to make to give him the best possible chance of realising his potential.

Wanting to find the perfect balance between school and football, he came across the up-and-coming Academy initiative (run by Richmond legend Alex Rance) and was immediately hooked.

“I went down to an experience day down in Essendon and loved the experience of it, but at 16 I wasn’t mature enough to move out, so decided to spend another year at St Augustine’s,” he said.

“But then the next year I saw a Wangaratta campus pop up and after talking to my parents decided the best thing for me would be moving out of home and finishing school there.

“Making that decision was the best thing I’ve done, the way it’s set up very much mirrors an AFL club, the professional habits I’ve picked up have been incredible and it has really prepared me for that next step.”

Leading into 2022, his all important draft year, George had put himself in the best possible situation to succeed.

Drawing comparisons to Melbourne star Christian Petracca in the pre-season, many thought a dominant campaign was on the horizon, one that would propel him into the upper echelon of draft calculations.

While on the field he showed that talent, the injury bug played its cruel hand, leaving much of his potential untapped.

But if you ask George to reflect on these past 12 months, he would not have had it any other way.

“Although the injuries have held me back a little bit, but when I was out on the field I feel I put my best foot forward and showcased what I can do,” he said.

“But there is also a lot of me that hasn’t been discovered yet, so I’m really excited to see what the future holds for me and the things I’ve learned this year will help me take that next step.

“All in all I was happy with the games I put together and I wouldn’t go back and change anything.”

In terms of the draft itself, George is expected to go either late in the first or early in the second round, with GWS tipped to be the club that secures his services.

But as has been the case through much of his junior career, George said he was well aware of the possibility that “anything can happen”.

“I am a little bit nervous and don’t really know what the outcome is going to be, but I’ll be proud of whatever happens,” he said.

“Being drafted is something I’ve thought about since I was a little boy, looking up to everyone that plays AFL you just want to be a part of it, so being this close to it being reality it feels like a bit of a dream.

“I’ve put a lot of work in, so if I get the opportunity I will be very grateful, but if not I’ll just roll with the punches, get back to work and do it all again.’’