OUTSIDE of maybe the first ever time he played footy, Adam Saad can’t remember a time where he didn’t want to make a career out of it.

“I remember being a six-year-old kid and my neighbours took me to my first game. I was wearing basketball shorts and I remember getting the footy and throwing it away, because I was a bit scared.”

But now, give him the ball and watch him run — generally towards danger.

It’s ironic that Saad’s football journey now finds him in Carlton, having grown up in neighbouring Brunswick and emerging as a genuine AFL prospect throughout his VFL days at Coburg.

On face value, that all seems very linear. It was anything but, having had stints at Gold Coast and Essendon before becoming a Blue. And that’s not even counting what it took to arrive at the level in the first place.

Belief never wavered for a young Saad, who went undrafted in five separate drafts before it was sixth time lucky when recruited to the Suns via the rookie draft. With the mid-season draft coming up on Wednesday night, Saad - one of the most beloved players to pull on the Navy Blue every week - is an embodiment of never giving up.

“It was always the number one sport when I was young. My dad played, and a lot of my uncles. It’s always been a part of me, wanting to play AFL footy and looking up to my dad,” Saad told 3AW.

“It’s very hard, to make the AFL. For me, it was always an aspiration to play at the highest level and I always had that belief — God instilled that belief that one day it was going to happen. I’ve had a lot of setbacks.

“A lot of people don’t understand that it’s a high-pressure environment, and you’re not guaranteed to be playing 10 or 15 years. Once you get onto an AFL list, it’s harder to stay there.”

Saad found himself in a position that many others have over the course of football history. Without hearing his name called out on draft night, things could’ve gone one of two ways.

He took the path of most resistance, and it paid off in kind.

“A lot of 17 or 18-year-olds are at the crossroads: as soon as they miss that first draft, they say it’s not for them. In my case, I always had in my mind that I wanted to play AFL and I’ll do whatever it takes to get there.

“For me, it was trying to improve myself — going to the park, going for a run, improving my skills, eating well. I didn’t really have a plan B — I had to make to it work.

“I worked hard, got better, and was fortunate enough to get onto an AFL list. Something I’m really proud of is being able to help support my family.”