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Echuca’s Ollie Wines will play for Port Adelaide after being selected with the seventh pick at the AFL draft last night.

Touted as one of the leading prospects in this year’s draft — with early predictions seeing him as high as fourth and later ones as low as 11th — Wines was thrilled to gain such a high selection and be playing for the Power next year.

‘‘I am looking forward to it,’’ he said.

‘‘I was going to live anywhere to chase my AFL dream and I’m thankful Port Adelaide has given me that opportunity.’’

Journalist Geordie Cowan was at the Gold Coast for the AFL Draft. Read his tweets: 

Wines said it was great to have achieved his goal of being drafted by an AFL club.

‘‘It is great to finally get my name registered on an AFL list,’’ he said.

‘‘I have achieved my goal, so now I will re-look at them and set some new ones for the future.’’

Parents Tony and Jane said they were extremely happy for their son.

‘‘We are so proud of him,’’ Jane said.

‘‘The last 48 hours have just been so pressure-filled.’’

The 18-year-old, who has developed a reputation as an accomplished inside midfielder after performing well at the AFL under 18 championships earlier this year, also boasts a strong pedigree off the field.

Echuca coach Cameron Stewart and Bendigo Pioneers coach David Newett described Wines as a player who ‘ticks all the boxes’ and is ‘professional’ respectively, which was something Port coach Ken Hinkley remarked on.

‘‘Where should I start?,’’ he said.

‘‘He’s a country boy and he’s just a good footballer, strong and hard at the contest.

‘‘He’s the type of footballer you can build a club around.’’

Journalist Geordie Cowan was at the Gold Coast for the AFL Draft. Read his tweets: