'As soon as I ran on': Marlion Pickett unfazed on and off the field after sparkling AFL Grand Final debut
At the Richmond Football Club each player who plays in a premiership side is awarded a life membership.
After Marlion Pickett's first AFL game, he is now a life member of the Tigers, and given the way he played, he might as well retire right now because life won't get any better.
Pickett dominated the headlines midweek after his meteoric rise through the mid-season draft, through to the VFL premiership, before eventually being handed a debut.
After such fanfare, Pickett would have been more than excused if he had simply played a role in helping secure the 12th premiership in the Tigers' history.
However, little did anyone expect the impact the 27-year-old would have on his maiden AFL match.
Pickett with the man who gave him a spot on the Tigers list by retiring, Shaun Grigg Getty
Pickett finished it third on the Norm Smith Medal votes list behind eventual winner Dustin Martin and All-Australian defender Bachar Houli.
The West Australian native finished the match with 22 disposals, one goal and a whopping 559 metres gained for the Tigers in a scintillating debut performance.
Pickett seemed at home on the game's biggest stage in a way that sometimes 200-game veterans don't seem and even after the match, you could be forgiven for thinking the Tigers had just won a run of the mill home and away match judging from his cool demeanour.
When asked by Daisy Pearce when he realised he was settled and not overawed by the moment, Pickett nonchalantly replied with: "As soon as I ran on".
Following the match, Pickett's teammates were left in awe at his outstanding debut.
Pickett looked as comfortable as ever out on the MCG in his first AFL match Getty
Pickett initially lived with Martin after he was picked up by the Tigers in the mid-season draft, and Martin said the soft-spoken midfielder was a perfect fit with him.
"I'm just super proud of the club for giving him an opportunity and super proud of him coming out and putting his head down," he told Seven.
"He was great. He's quiet and I'm quiet so we get along well. It was great. He just did his own thing and it was perfect."
It was an inspired selection from Richmond coach Damien Hardwick to say the least, with plenty questioning it, including Hardwick's own premiership coach from Essendon, Kevin Sheedy.
Following the match, Hardwick explained the decision to blood the first AFL Grand Final debutant in 67 years.
Pickett celebrates his first AFL goal in the third quarter and is mobbed by teammates Getty
"About half way through the third I thought," he said when asked when he felt relieved about the pick.
"Even last night I couldn't sleep to be perfectly honest. I thought I'm either going to look like a dill or a champ.
"The thing that he has is he's just so composed at the ball and our recruiters backed him in and said, 'Listen, this kid can do it'.
"He probably gave us the greatest flexibility on the day and he was incredible really the way he went about it.
"He's going to be a fantastic player for us. It's a great story."
