THE LIVES of up to 85 young footballers will change forever on Saturday when the NAB AFL Draft takes place, but Carlton's Matthew Kreuzer has urged the class of 2008 to remain calm ahead of the big day. 

Kreuzer is looking forward to losing the title of "last year's No.1 draft pick" and remembers all too well the stresses he and his fellow draftees had to cope with this time last year, but he maintains there's just no point worrying about it.

"If I had to give them any advice the main thing would be to try and not get too nervous; whatever happens will happen. You've tried your best all year and now it's time to just see what will happen," Kreuzer said.

"Obviously they'll be really excited come this time of the year knowing what a big couple of weeks it is around draft time. It's a strange and exciting process to go through. You're excited to see what might happen and when you find out that's when the hard work really starts.

"The couple of weeks leading into it you're not really sure what's going to happen and so you're just waiting for that day, but it is a great day when it finally arrives; the AFL and NAB support it really well and it was good to be there."

Kreuzer admits his draft experience varied from everyone else's because he arrived at Telstra Dome safe in the knowledge Carlton's recruiting manager Wayne Hughes was going to call his name to kick off proceedings.

"It was still a nervous time for me, but at least I got to find out where I was going a couple of days before the draft, which helped ease the nerves on the day," he recalls.

"Wayne Hughes came around to our house and told me they were going to pick me and then we all went out for dinner."

Kreuzer received plenty of attention from the media as the first player chosen and the quiet lad from Greensborough in Melbourne's north east admits being constantly interviewed and taking part in photo shoots took a little getting used to.

"Yeah look I just sort of got that done, but I don't really enjoy that side of it; it's not my cup of tea," the 19-year-old said with a grin.

"You just try and take it all in at the start because it is a big shock."

But regardless of when a player goes in the draft or where in the country he finds himself after next Saturday, Kreuzer says one thing remains constant.

"It doesn't matter what number you go in the draft, you get judged on what you do when you get out there in games," he said.

"Once I got drafted I just tried to leave all that behind because it's only a number and when you get down to the club that's when the hard work starts.

"You've just got to put your best foot forward and try and get yourself in a position to play a few games."