The 18-year-old was selected to play in the game after AFL club recruiters requested he be allowed to play in the game with the best draft age players from around the state.

The Ararat Rats player said he was surprised he was selected for the showpiece game.

“It was a shock for sure,” he said.

“I got an email from AFL Victoria the week before telling me I was chosen to play, so it was a short preparation for the game.

“The email said I was nominated for the game after some AFL clubs were interested in seeing how I would go.”

Mills said he could have played better during the game but was grateful for the experience.

“I probably didn’t have my best game but it was just a good experience to be involved with,” he said.

“We had one light training session the week before, so I got to know a few of the blokes.

“I was pretty nervous, I did not know many of the guys there but they were all great.”

Mills’ selection comes after a strong season for the Rats in the Wimmera Football League.

He scored 34 goals from his 16 matches for the sixth-placed Ararat team.

The Melbourne Demons fan said despite missing out on finals, it was a fun year for him.

“I guess just being a year older, I have that experience which helped during games this year,” he said.

“I am a good mark overhead and have got pretty good skills, so they are definitely my strengths on the football field.”

The 189-centimetre Mills said that he was aware of some interest from AFL clubs earlier in the season but had not heard anything since.

“I heard earlier in the year a couple of clubs had come and watched me play, I did not know how they knew about me or found about me, so that was a surprise,” he said.

“I had not heard anything since, no club has contacted me directly so I will just have to wait and see what happens.”

Mills keeps in contact with former Rat and current Carlton Blues player Tom Williamson and could be on his own AFL journey by the end of the year.

The 2017 AFL National Draft will be hosted in Sydney on November 24.