'My dream wasn't to play AFL, it was to play for North': Archer

[Applause] [Music] we all know he comes from Rich North Melbourne pedigree but after biting his time Jackson Archer is developing his own reputation in the big time the son of a is taking on some of the best small forwards in the game and improving every game he plays fresh of his best match yet against Richmond Jackson is this week's Telstra Rising Star nominee and what a treat to have him at the desk Jackson welcome thanks for having me how proud were you of this acknowledgement of all your improvement throughout the season to get the rising star nod uh yeah no it was a nice surprise obviously um the main thing was getting the win on the weekend for luky Max 200 but yeah it was a nice surprise yesterday how much are you enjoying your footy at the moment as well with with the turn in the club's Fortunes in the past month or so you guys are playing some pretty good footy at moment yeah no I'm loving it um obviously I've had a couple injury issues but now starting to string a couple games together and to get a couple wins has been yeah it's been unreal does there feel as if there's a shift internally now that there's a bit more perhaps confidence and belief yeah no I think so I think that belief's just growing day to day um you know to get a couple wins on the board now it's just it's our belief's growing and we're such a tight group off the field and I feel like we're starting to translate that onto the field now a lot of people have been watching you pretty closely Jacko and and what's noticeable in that short time you've been there is your disposal Improvement is that hours and hours of training yourself with Dad or is it hours and hours with other people at the club uh yeah no it's definitely been a focus for me um well I wasn't I wasn't able to actually kick a footy in the offseason or much in the preseason because of my growing issues um but now that I'm getting my body right um I'm really going to work with it work at it now with um Mickey bow who's head of development um and he's been a great help to me so yeah it's definitely been a area of focus that I've been trying to improve from from those that early game I think your first game was down a tazzy was was that your first game yeah from that game to now what what if you got more comfortable in in in doing is it playing on some some of the best more forwards in the in the game is it your confidence going for the ball like we see there what's what's what's jumped out with for you yeah I feel like just kind to I've gotten used to the speed and I'm feeling more comfortable out there out there now um got such a good coaching uh coaching group that they've shown so much belief in me and yeah I feel like I'm just I'm starting to believe in myself a lot more now and um yeah I guess my foot's going to a new level now when with with your dad Glenn and everyone in football knows him is it a burden having a father like an Archer your dad or is it such a a joyous thing to have archers your Glenn Arch as your father um no I I'd definitely say it's more of a joyous um thing you know I'm I'm very proud of what Dad was able to uh able to achieve um and I guess those comparisons like they're always going to come but yeah like I said I'm I'm proud of what DB was able to achieve and now I'm just trying to forge my own path does it still blow your mind though and you still find yourself pinching yourself at this club that has meant so much to your dad and your whole family when you see those pictures earli of you as a little tiny tot with your dad and now you're representing the same Club yeah no I do I do have to pinch myself sometimes um you know my dream when I was a kid it was wasn't to play AFL was to play for north and you know it was always like a second second home for me a second family um so yeah to do what I dreamt of now it's you know I just love it you're part of this young group that's coming through how what's a camaraderie like I'm sure you're going to say it's great but how committed uh is is wlor and Shel and yourself and and others who were who were coming through yeah no very committed um you know like I said before we're such a tight group um and I feel like there's just so much excitement around the place um you know we know that we're going to be a really good side for a long time I think and you know the likes of Shel and wardor like you said they're leading from the front and I feel like the they're they're bringing up a lot uh a lot of players with them you know what I mean yeah you signed recently signed a two-year contract yeah that was really who who's your manager Glenn was used to be a manager of sords no he's I'm with Tommy petoro yeah he's a great man Tommy so yeah I was happy to sign yeah good how long has Robo been bugging you because you guys go a bit way back don't you well there I still live around the corner from The Archers and it was funny earli this year I just want to tell this quick story when when Jackson was about 14 him and his dad come to my house and we watched Collingwood West Coast remember that game and mayard played on Liam Ryan like one of these it was the final it was an amazing oneon-one and you're only like 14 and then 6 weeks ago here you were standing Liam Ryan on the field and I thought God I couldn't go back to that night and remember how brilliant he was and how what what a young fellow you were can you remember that yeah no I remember I remember no it's it's definitely something pretty cool you know obviously I was a big fan but to now go play against some of these players um yeah no it's it's pretty special which players left you most star on the field are you I can't believe I'm on the same field as you um well Dusty was a big one on the weekend um Brad Hill when he was standing on your head Bobby Hill Bobby H sorry yeah yeah thanks for reminding me um but yeah him or the bond I'd say um they're just so so big and yeah it's it was crazy well you belong on the big stage now congratulations on your Rising St no and thanks for joining us no thanks for having me by