In his own words, Boston Dowling is ready to get to work.
The 18-year-old Shepparton footy phenom has been crashing packs and tearing up the track with Collingwood’s VFL program for months now, but was only announced as a new signing by the club this week.
That’s fine for Dowling, who is grinding away in the backdrop as he feverishly pursues his ultimate goal: getting drafted.
Dowling, a former Murray Bushranger and Shepparton Gators basketball prospect, plied his trade for Oakleigh Chargers in the Coates Talent League last season, but was snubbed in the 2023 AFL Draft.
However, there’s not one set pathway into the elite level — the passage to AFL isn’t black and white.
Except for Dowling, for whom that could likely be the case.
“I was disappointed that I didn’t get picked up in the draft, because that was my main goal. From there, Collingwood reached out to me,” he said.
“They basically said, with the VFL program, ‘we’d like you to come down and train with us and see what happens from there’.
“I went down there for a couple of sessions and they were really pleased with me.
“I grew a centimetre since the draft and put on five ‘kegs’ since I’ve been with Collingwood.”
Dowling has grown into his frame thanks to a timely spurt and stands at 206cm and 96kg.
He’s been beefing out and building up under Magpies’ Head of Academy Josh Fraser.
And, as a Collingwood 200-game ruckman, Fraser is the perfect archetype for Dowling to model his game off.
The tall tearaway said the physical changes within himself had stoked the internal fires once more and flying with the Pies had him bullish ahead of a big season.
“I can see the big difference it’s already making. As I said, I’ve put on five kilograms, so I’m feeling stronger, quicker, fitter,” he said.
“It’s been a big difference, a big eye-opener for this season ahead.
“Being with the Chargers and the Coates League in general, it’s an elite program, but I feel like moving to the VFL program with Collingwood it’s another step up — it’s more physical.
“It’s similar to an AFL program, especially being under the same roof as the Pies.
“It’s been really professional, elite, and it’s been a big step up from the Coates, but it’s been great.”
Remarkably, this summer has been Dowling’s first pre-season in three years.
He injured his groin last year playing basketball and the years prior were spent refining his on-court game as Dowling looked a shoo-in for a professional career in the round-ball sport.
Dowling can thank basketball for his tidy one-on-one skills and soap-clean hands, but when asked if he was rusted-on as a footballer moving forward, there was only one answer.
“Bloody oath,” he said.
“Under-18s nationals was basically the last basketball for me.
“I did have school basketball too, where we made the granny — but that was kind of the last hoorah for me on the basketball side of things.
“Now, the past eight months has been footy, footy, footy. A great opportunity has opened up for me in VFL and I’m ready to take it.”
Jumping from the Coates Talent League to the VFL is no small feat — even for a big boy.
He featured 14 times in the Chargers’ 2023 season and was on the draft radar for a number of clubs, but injury hampered his cause.
In 2024, Dowling is all about “keeping that vision alive”.
“This season I’m ready to give it a red hot crack,” he said.
“I’ve been ticking away in pre-season, working hard, and I’m ready to get firing in the first half of the year.
“I’ll see where that takes me. Hopefully I can get drafted, whether that be mid-season or end of the year.
“I’m just looking to get on an AFL list and get to work.”