Jon Pierik - The Age - 15 December
Family affair: Footscray premiership player Harvey Stevens
with his grandson Michael Talia, a Western Bulldogs recruit.
WHEN his name was overlooked through selections 20 to 25 in last month's national draft, Michael Talia, regarded by some as the best key-position defender on offer, suddenly had reason to fret.
Talia and his manager had thought he would be taken around that mark, but as pick 30 came and went, the young lad from the Calder Cannons moved into panic mode. ''I had about 70 people at my house and I was thinking, 'Hold on, I might not go [to a club]','' he said this week.
''But when I heard the Bulldogs had pick 39, I just squeezed my girlfriend's hand as hard as I could. It ended up happening and I was able to go to there. I couldn't have asked for anything more.''
Article in full...