“IT STILL doesn’t quite feel real.”

If Hudson O’Keeffe has his way, he’ll never lose the gratitude of the experience of wearing the Navy Blue jumper at senior level. Nor does he want to let down those who took a chance on him.

The 2025 season was a significant personal one for O’Keeffe - universally known as ‘Skull’ at IKON Park. After a lengthy wait, the youngster was the Blues’ fifth of what was ultimately seven AFL debutants for the year.

He debuted in front of nearly 75,000 people in a win over Essendon on King’s Birthday Eve, fulfilling a promise he made to himself to play on the MCG at the elite level.

“There were highs and lows in 2025, as there always is in footy. I loved the opportunity I got,” O’Keeffe told Carlton Media from the Blues’ pre-season camp in Lorne.

“I felt like I found some form heading into the VFL heading into my debut, and to do that in front of 75,000 people at the MCG was a dream come true. To be honest with you, it still doesn’t quite feel real six months on, looking back on photos and videos of it all.”

A hamstring injury scuppered his plans for a lengthy run in the team, but after returning to full fitness, he was back in the senior side by the end of the season, finishing with a 4-1 record from his opening five games.

For a player who went undrafted in his under-18s year, it was affirmation of the work he’s put in and the competitive instincts which O’Keeffe’s teammates love about him.

But in the eyes of the youngster who was elevated from the rookie to senior list in recent weeks, it’s also a testament to the faith his football club put in him.

“I’m very grateful to everyone at the Club, who gave the opportunity to a very, very raw 18-year-old ruckman who - to be honest with you - probably didn’t show enough to be picked up. I’m trying to repay everyone who’s put that time and effort into me as a player.

“I felt like I had some good moments in games, but the next level for me is turning those moments into games, weeks, months.

“I’m not putting a games expectation on it - obviously everyone wants to be playing AFL footy every week. I just want a clean run at it. If I can play consistent footy and get a clean run, I’ll set myself up to have a good year.”

While this is the time of the year that fans look to who may or may not be playing in a different position in 2026, O’Keeffe’s change is a bit more subtle.

Previously a ruck/forward, O’Keeffe now regards himself as a forward/ruck.

“It’s a big change!”

With that means a summer stationed in the forward half, as well as a formalised mentor relationship with a senior teammate.

“I’m loving it. I’m getting my first full pre-season as a forward. I’m looking forward to getting to work with Josh Fraser, and ‘Big H’ is now officially my mentor - I’ll be working very closely with them.

“Harry is great. To be honest, ‘H’ has always been a great mentor for me, but given I was more of a ruck I didn’t always get to work with him. He is an amazing player and so smart, so it’ll be great to learn from a Coleman Medallist.

“We’ve got to try and be serious at times, which is difficult.”

It may be difficult to be serious with Harry, but for someone who is constantly referenced as having ‘white line fever’, O’Keeffe is typically throwing himself into whatever competition he can.

So when the opportunity came up to captain one of the four teams on camp alongside Lachie Cowan, Cooper Lord and Jesse Motlop came up, he jumped at it.

“It means everything.

“I feel like we drafted pretty well, I’m happy with the group I’ve got. It was a draft system - ‘Mots’ went more for who the funniest blokes were that he could pick, whereas I went more strategic - I went competitors.

“I’m a competitive person, I’m here to win. I don’t even know if there’s a prize: even if it’s just pride, I’m happy with that.”

No matter what goes on in the teams competition, as serious as it gets, O’Keeffe takes solace in the fact that he and his contemporaries can let bygones be bygones via what’s quickly become their favourite pastime.

“There’s a serious group of us now watching Love Island. Ash Moir is the one who got me into it: there was probably a week span where I refused - then, I watched an episode, and now I’m hooked.

“While we’re on camp, we’ve got a Love Island crew that comes to my room and we all watch it. It’s one of those shows that it’s so bad, it’s good.”