Deledio the guide for Murphy

Carlton's Marc Murphy, the AFL's latest number one draft pick, says he will be happy if he can have a debut season even half as good as last year's top draft pick - Richmond's Brett Deledio. Murphy, 18, is more than familiar with Deledio - who last year became the first number one draft pick ever to win the AFL's Rising Star Award in his debut season - as the pair were once teammates in the Victorian under 17 cricket team. The son of five time Fitzroy best and fairest winner John Murphy knows he will be under plenty of pressure next year, not just because he is this year's number one draft pick but because he has already been in the headlines for knocking back a lucrative contract with the Brisbane Lions - where he could have gone under the father/son rule with father John having played 214 games for Fitzroy. But with Victorian clubs having the first eight picks in this year's draft, Murphy knew he would be able to stay in his home city and still be able to pursue his AFL dream. "It hasn’t real set in yet (being the number one pick), I suppose there will be a bit of pressure but I am not thinking too much about it," said the lightly built midfielder, who has already being compared to West Coast captain Ben Cousins. Murphy said he watched with great interest how Deledio handled the pressure of being the number one draft pick last year but warned Blues' fans he may not be able to have the same immediate impact as the much taller and stronger Richmond youngster did in his first year. "I haven't spoken to Brett for a while but I played in the under 17's cricket team with him, and it's pretty strange to see two successive number ones come from the same cricket side,' Murphy told afl.com.au. "I definitely watched him this year with great interest and he had a great year and if I can have half as good a (debut) year as him next season I will be happy." The Blues are thrilled to claim the player who was easily rated the most naturally talented on offer in this year's draft. Carlton recruiting manager Wayne Hughes painted an exciting picture of the well-spoken Murphy, whose character has already impressed Blues' coach Denis Pagan. "He is a genuine inside midfielder, a good kick and a very good reader of the play at the stoppages and off the hands of ruckman," Hughes said. "And for as long I have been watching him, I don’t think I have seen anyone get a hand on him in relation to disturbing him in his use of the footy." Hughes said Murphy was also capable of kicking goals and helping out the defenders such was his high work ethic. "He is aerobically strong with good speed, good skills - a genuine footballer." As impressed as Hughes is with Murphy's on-field credentials, so is Pagan with the 18-year-old's off-field persona. "The biggest thing I have liked about Marc since I have known him is his character, the way he carries himself and it's obvious when you see his Mum and Dad that he has had a good upbringing." "From my point of view I couldn't be more pleased because character and personality play such a significant part and can’t be undervalued." Murphy is thrilled to be at Carlton and said it was his decision not to accept Brisbane's offer. "I am pretty excited about going to a good traditional club, I wanted to stay in Melbourne and play my footy here and not make too many changes." "Brisbane was great and if they were a Melbourne club I would have gone straight there but they are based up north." It was not just the Marc Murphy show for Carlton on Saturday with the Blues also grabbing highly rated Western Australian key position player Josh Kennedy at pick four, aggressive defender Paul Bower from WAFL club Peel Thunder at pick 20 while at pick 36 they grabbed Jake Edwards, the son of former Collingwood and Richmond player Allan "Butch" Edwards.