Promising tall Jobe Shanahan insists he is happy to play forward or back at West Coast – whatever will help him push for selection.

Eagles recruiters were thrilled when Shanahan slipped through to the club’s second pick at last week’s Telstra AFL Draft, and swooped on the Moama product at pick No.30 overall.

Shanahan had been rated as a first-round prospect thanks to a brilliant season playing for the Bendigo Pioneers, AFL Academy, Allies in the national championships and Essendon’s VFL team - not to mention his local club on the NSW/Victorian border.

Shanahan played three games of senior VFL football for the Bombers, booting 11 goals, including hauls of four against the Northern Bullants and five in a big win over Coburg.

“It just gave me heaps of confidence. I went into it thinking ‘see how you go, you might not shine or anything but get that experience up’,” Shanahan reflected.

“After the first game it gave me a bit of confidence and it just helped me for the next two games and set me in good stead for the rest of the year.”

The 194cm prospect played some of his best football for the year in defence in the Coates Talent League, though, and is happy to swing between both ends of the ground.

“I don’t really care where I play. I just want to play. I’ll play as a key back or a key forward, it doesn’t really bother me too much,” Shanahan said.

“I’ve had more experience in the forward line but last year at the Pioneers I played my best footy down back so either-or, really.”

Shanahan is under the wing of fellow Bendigo product Tom Cole in the early days of his time out west, living with the defender and his family.

He also has a strong connection with Harley Reid from playing together at the Pios and from school.

While he was impressed by Reid’s ‘pretty cool’ first season in blue and gold, Shanahan isn’t setting any lofty ambitions for his debut year out west.

“I just want to build myself up day-by-day, week-by-week so I’m not really setting long-term goals at the moment,” Shanahan said.

“Every kid wants to play round one, but it’s pretty hard. You’ve got to work your way up and prove yourself.

“We’ve got a lot of new recruits, new draftees and even a new coach, so I think it’s a time to build and it’s pretty cool to be part of, I think.”