The Shortte Straw – Xavier Ellis

Episode 3 of the Shortte Straw Podcast with Xavier Ellis – the number 3 draft pick back in 2005 – he went on to play 120 AFL games for both Hawthorn and West Coast, playing in three Grand Finals including Hawthorn’s win over Geelong in 2008.

Xavier talks about his time at the Hawks, among the likes of Buddy Franklin, Luke Hodge and Alistair Clarkson, and the chain of events that brought him to WA to join the Eagles.

1:10 – early Premiership success

3:30 – junior football

6:26 – playing deputy to Joel Selwood, a stacked Vic Country midfield

8:48 – pick 3 in the 2005 AFL Draft, finishing year 12

12:49 – Draft Day, joining the Hawks

16:13 – first impressions of Alistair Clarkson

17:48 – Lance “Buddy” Franklin

21:20 – Alistair Clarkson – an “extremely weird” man

27:05 – the 2008 AFL Grand Final, “no nerves about Geelong”

32:23 – more on that man, Clarko – “a lunatic”

34:58 – immediate aftermath of the Premiership win

38:25 – 2009, Premiership hangover?

39:38 – 2010, 2011, 2012 struggles with injury – losing the 2012 Grand Final

43:46 – watching on as the Hawks win the 2013 Grand Final – “like your best mate has kissed your sister”

45:20 – coming to Perth to meet with Freo, leaving as an Eagle

48:42 – 2015 with West Coast, meeting the Hawks in the Grand Final

50:22 – 2016, the end of an AFL career

54:08 – landing a betting plunge at Wagga