He’s a kid from Kyabram who until tonight followed the fortunes of the Tigers through the other one from up “Ky” way, Brett Deledio.

But Nick Holman is Blue down to his bootstraps now that his name has been called as Carlton’s third round selection of the 2013 AFL National Draft.

Taken at selection 51 overall, the kid with the Nick Graham hairdo was sweating it out at his folks’ home when Shane Rogers finally called his name.

Clearly, he understood the poignancy of the moment.

“This means everything to me,” Holman said. ”I suppose I worked all year for the draft, through the draft combine, the nationals and the TAC Cup.

“I think it means everything for the work that I’ve put in.”

With VCE exams at Kyabram P-12 College now behind him, Holman expects to front up for day one of Carlton’s 2013-14 pre-season campaign.

The Murray Bushrangers boy will do so with a level head, and with the unswerving support of his family, including his father, who briefly trained at Geelong before eking out an outstanding playing career with Lockington Bamawm United Football Club.

An inside midfielder mentioned in the various draft blurbs as “physical” and “ferocious” at the footy, Holman regarded himself as one who was up for the scrap.

As he said: “I love a contest and I’m pretty attacking”.