Jack Steele and Austin grew up playing footy together in Canberra and the pair have now double-handedly ended the ACT's draft drought, dating back to 2009, with Steele officially going to Greater Western Sydney with pick 24 and Port picking Austin at No.69 on Thursday night.

While Steele found out he was going to the Giants last month, Austin had a nervous wait until the final few picks to find out his fate.

The Belconnen key defender watched the draft on television with his parents and as soon as Port called his name out he had two phone calls - one from Power coach Ken Hinkley and the other from his best mate Steele.

"It hasn't sunk in at all ... when it was starting to get down the order a bit I was starting to get pretty nervous and when I got called out I can't even remember, it was just like a blur to be honest," a still buzzing Austin said.

"[Steele] rang me straight away pretty much, shared a little bit of a moment with him.

"We're best mates, I think he wanted me to go off to the Giants. My best mate's on a list and I'm on a list, it's all good."

Austin had been linked to Port, but he said they had kept their cards close to their chest.

Now he is packing his bags and leaving for Adelaide on Sunday.

Hinkley had one clear message - work hard and reap the rewards - and he plans to do that at a club that was one straight kick away from this year's AFL grand final.

"I just received a phone call from Ken Hinkley as well so it's all going pretty quickly at the moment," Austin said.

"I know they're building a really good culture over there, so I'm looking forward to getting over there.

"They're a really family-based club and to be going over there and learning a lot off players like Travis Boak and Ollie Wines. It's  just going to be great to just be around those players and learn those traits and work hard.

"That's the key message from Ken, is just to work hard and I should reap the rewards."

Austin's attention turned quickly to his fellow Canberrans who missed out, hoping they get their chance in Wednesday's rookie draft.

Ainslie trio Liam Griffiths, Aaron Vandenberg and Tom Faul could make it onto an AFL list then, on the day Carlton plan to pick up another former Tricolours player Jason Tutt, who spent the last five years at the Western Bulldogs.