Hudson O’Keeffe set his phone background as the MCG, and promised himself to never change it until he played at the iconic venue at AFL level.
After a wait which lasted two and a half years, O’Keeffe finally got that chance in Round 13 of the 2025 season, taking five contested marks on debut against Essendon in front of over 70,000 people.
It was the path to persistence for O’Keeffe, who was recruited as a supplementary selection period signing on the eve of the 2023 campaign, where he had to hone his craft as a forward-ruck for the Carlton Reserves.
As combative as they come, O’Keeffe will be hoping for many more MCG memories.
