FOR Brodie Kemp, the current situation is presenting a wave of thoughts and emotions.

There’s “the light at the end of the tunnel” on a personal level, but also the realisation of “how weird it is to get drafted in a year like this”.

It’s safe to say that Kemp’s first season in the AFL, like the rest of his fellow draftees, is one which is unprecedented.

Of course, Kemp is one of those who could benefit - if that’s even possible - from the current situation.

Coming in on the back of an ACL injury, it seemed like there was no chance of Kemp playing footy in 2020. Now, it’s the concept of ‘so you’re telling me there’s a chance’.

“A few people have mentioned to me that it’s a blessing in disguise to have a long term injury with this delay helping that,” Kemp said.

“From a selfish point of view, it’s good for me and my knee because when the season returns, I may have more of an opportunity to play later on in the year.

“From a team point of view and the entire industry, it’d be nice to get footy up and going as soon as possible.”

Kemp is now eight months post-surgery and has returned with family in Echuca, only returning to Melbourne on the weekend to check in with surgeon Julian Feller.

Content and confident with the progress shown in his recovery, Kemp has no shortage of motivation as he eyes a comeback to full fitness in the surrounds of his family home.

Lapping up the chance to be around his nearest and dearest, Kemp has also had the chance to relive that dramatic draft night which saw him become a Blue in November.

“I don’t really see my family and haven’t really seen them much for two and a half years because I’ve been at boarding school before getting drafted soon after that finished,” he said.

“We were watching [the draft] on TV a few weeks Aho and I was thinking how weird it was. You would have had no idea at the time that this whole year would turn out like this.

“Considering the circumstances, it does seem like a lifetime ago because everything does seem so different.”

As everyone searches for some sense of normality in the most abnormal of times, Kemp is clearly doing everything he can to achieve that lifelong dream of an AFL football.

When that comes - whether it’s in 2020 or not - isn’t certain, but what’s been evident is the youngster’s commitment to his return: and it hasn’t been missed by the Senior Coach.

Crediting his new teammates and staff around him, Kemp has adopted a positive approach to the current situation — even though he was itching to get out there when games returned, albeit briefly.

“Once the games started, I sort of felt a tiny bit that I was missing out because I was wanting to play so badly,” he said.

“In terms of being able to train and all of the off-field stuff, I felt included and that I could make strong relationships even though I wasn’t training with the main group. I’ve found it quite easy and that’s a testament to the Club itself and the people in it.

“It was quite humbling to see that ‘Teaguey’ was quite happy with how I approached the rehab process: it’s nice to know the head honcho is impressed.

“A lot of my thanks goes to the medical staff as well as the boys who have made it a smooth process.”