Conor Nash spoke of the “eruption” of emotions he and his family felt when he found out he would be making his AFL debut with the Hawthorn Hawks.
The 20-year-old Meath native made a winning start to his career after beating Geelong 71-60 at the MCG on Saturday.
But Nash revealed his family were set to fly home to Ireland before sharing the “special moment” together on a day out.
“I found out on the Wednesday. I was at a hot springs resort with the family down the Peninsula just to take them down for a look,” Nash told OTB AM.
“Alastair Clarkson our head coach gave me a ring asking would my parents delay their flight by a few days because I was going to be making my debut at the MCG against the Cats.
“I was actually on loudspeaker while I was driving – and everyone was in the car – and we all erupted. It was a massive build up from there on in.
Conor Nash celebrates with his Mother and Father after the game.
“I had been in the mix a couple of weeks prior and we thought the boat had gone because my parents were to fly home that Thursday night before that game.
“It was a very special moment for me and the family because it has been a long journey and certainly a different route to what my parents and I thought I would be taking a few years ago.
“It’s just a bit of a reward for all the hard work that has gone in. Last year I was just coming back from a bad injury and to get to this stage now is very pleasing."
Speaking exclusively to OTB AM, Nash described how he prepared himself for the game after coming to terms with the exciting news of an impending debut.
“My focus going into the game was to park the emotion and all the stuff with the family,” Nash said.
“I focused on what my role was. I certainly did that and they were very happy with how I went about that. The lads were saying to focus on the little things during the week to get into the game because it’s just another game of footy in the end.
“It went well and I was very happy with how it went. We’ll see what happens this week with selection and all that. But to get the first one out of the way is always a big plus.”
Nash made the decision to move Down Under in 2016 after turning down the offer of an academy contract with Leinster.
The Navan man is one of several Irish players currently based in Melbourne. Rival clubs can count eight players from the Emerald Isle on their books but competition has failed to get in the way of national camaraderie.
Conor Glass (left) and Conor Nash (right) Image: ©INPHO/James Crombie
“The club has been fantastic and they certainly made the family feel welcome while they were here. It really is a band of brothers,” Nash added.
“We also have a very tight nit group amongst the Irish boys. There’s probably seven or eight of us in Melbourne and around 12 or 13 in the AFL as a whole.
“We meet up quite regularly whether it’s for coffee, lunch or whatever. Ciarán Byrne, Conor McKenna, Ray Connellan, Darragh Joyce.
“And Conor Glass and I are actually going to be moving in together with Cillian McDaid next season in November. It’s not like we play for different clubs and wouldn’t really speak to them.
“We want to see all of the lads go well and to be playing against each other each week. I was chatting to Zach Tuohy and Mark O’Connor after the game on Saturday.
“Yes they’d lost the game but they were just proud that the three of us were out there on the pitch together. We do really get on well with each other and it does make it that bit easier having that support network.”
James Hopper
