Working as a barista at Cheeky Monkey cafe in Richmond, Corey Wagner deals with Melbourne players every day, making coffees for the Demons.
Within a couple of weeks, he will join their ranks, with the former North Melbourne pressure forward set to become a Dee during the AFL's recently created supplemental selection period.
Corey Wagner as a young draft hopeful in 2015Credit:Wayne Taylor
Wagner, 21, played eight games at the Kangaroos across 2016 and 2017.
On Tuesday morning the AFL announced that he along with delisted St Kilda enforcer Mav Weller and ex-Gold Coast ruckman Keegan Brooksby had withdrawn their nominations from this week's draft because they had agreed to join AFL clubs under the new scheme.
Weller is expected to join Richmond, while Brooksby will bolster West Coast's ruck stocks.
They join former Fremantle big man Zac Clarke, who will link up with Essendon, and veteran Shane Mumford, who is coming out of retirement to again play with Greater Western Sydney, as beneficiaries of the new rule.
To be eligible for the supplemental selection period, a player must have previously nominated for the national draft or been on a list of an AFL club.
Players who join clubs in the period – which runs from December 1 to March 15 – sign contracts subject to the minimum terms and conditions of a rookie, but can negotiate above that.
Queenslander Wagner will join older brother Josh at Melbourne, having impressed the club with his form for Casey in the VFL this year after being delisted by North at the end of last year.
"By committing to Corey now, we can guarantee him a place on our rookie list rather than waiting and the risk of another team taking him," Melbourne football chief Josh Mahoney said.
"Corey had a fantastic season playing for Casey Demons under Jade Rawlings. We feel that his AFL experience with North Melbourne, physical attributes, flexibility in playing multiple roles for the team and his current relationships with players and coaches make him a welcome addition to our list.
"We look forward to bringing Corey into our program full time from December 1."
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