http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23191295-19764,00.html
SHOULD Courtenay Dempsey become the household name many at Essendon say he will, the AFL need look no further for a walking advertisement for its code.
Born and bred in the rugby league heartland of Cairns in north Queensland, the indigenous speed machine was a surprise omission when squads for the under-13 league tryouts were named seven years ago.
Until then Dempsey had made all the junior representative sides for north Queensland so his promotion came as a shock to the then-12-year-old.
So when his physical education teacher suggested giving Australian Rules a go, Dempsey embraced the new game until it became time to choose between the rival codes three years later.
"
I decided to go with AFL because it's the better game of the two, more fun to play and the AFL program was a lot better than what rugby league offered," Dempsey, 20, said from Essendon's community camp on the Gold Coast.
"The way people like Rick Hanlon from the AFL looked after me was first-class. I think rugby league didn't really think they needed to do much work to keep kids playing."
Dempsey's late entry into Australian Rules explains why he still lacks some of the complexities of the code.
But when it comes to pace - look out.
He is blistering over 5m, 10m and 20m and has been earmarked by new Essendon coach Matthew Knights as a running defender, a position where he can see the game in front of him and just take off.
After being drafted at No. 19 in 2005 - a year before his best mate Jarrod Harbrow was selected by the Western Bulldogs in the rookie draft - Dempsey played five matches in 2006 and just one last year after a succession of hamstring injuries.
He admits to struggling in Melbourne early; a combination of leaving his family, the city's winter and a general lack of confidence.
He now says he is "ready to really go", the thought of impending fatherhood (his girlfriend Danielle is due a week before the first AFL game) filling him with anticipation.
"A lot of indigenous boys get taken out of their comfort zone, which is hard because we are very close to our families," the 185cm Dempsey said.
"I did struggle early on but I'm handling it a lot better now. The other indigenous boys at Essendon have helped me get through and Kevin Sheedy was really good to all of us.
"I like the way he looked after Dean Rioli when he became homesick and he did the same for me.
"But now, with my girlfriend and my little baby due, I'm fine and just can't wait to start playing football.
"I can remember being intimidated playing with someone like James Hird until he came up and told me not to worry about who someone is - just get the ball and take off.
"That's what I'm planning to do."