West Coast Eagles draftee Lucca Grego can’t wipe the smile off his face after landing in the nest with pick 48 in the 2024 AFL Draft.

The 18-year-old rebounding defender and midfielder said he’s savouring the experience of getting drafted, and that West Coast was his preferred destination.

“It feels unreal. Hearing your name called out on draft night is something not many people get to experience, I’m cherishing the moment, and I’m loving it,” Grego said.

“The ideal preference was for me to come to West Coast - I wanted to come to West Coast.

“Being able to have the opportunity to come here and play with this great club and with these great boys is one that I wouldn’t want to miss.

“And the lifestyle here, the beaches, I’m really big into my four-wheel driving so I’m keen to hit the Kimberley and the beaches, it’s great weather, it’s a lot better than Melbourne weather.”

Grego has moved in with new teammate Jamie Cripps and said the relocation to Perth has been an easy transition.

“So far, it’s gone very well, I’ve moved in with a great player in Jamie Cripps, and he and his family are lovely people,” Grego said.

“Everyone around the club has made my move very comfortable and very easy.

“He (Cripps) just told me to have fun with it.

“It’s new experiences and new people to learn from, new processes to learn, and just enjoy it and have some fun with it and don’t be too stressed.”

Grego comes from a rugby league background, which he said correlates well to the AFL landscape.

“It definitely helps, I don’t think many people realise how many similarities there are between the two codes,” he said.

“It helps me bring my competitive edge and my toughness, and it helps hitting people ... I love it!

“Dad was a development coach with the under 19s and under 21s with the Melbourne Storm, it was awesome, I got to learn some good advice and have some good experiences.”

Having been immersed in the professional environment of rugby league from a young age, Grego said it’s helped to prepare him for the requirements of AFL.

“Being around that environment at a young age with Craig Bellamy, Cameron Smith and Cameron Munster definitely took my professionalism and my experiences to the next level,” Grego said.

“They’re some big names, and they said put everything out there, don’t be shy, have a bit of a laugh and enjoy your experiences because it doesn’t last very long, so enjoy it.”