Bourke, 19, is hopeful a second club will take a chance on him in the draft period following the Cats’ decision to cut him last week after one season on their rookie list.

The Kolora-Noorat export left Kardinia Park without an AFL game to his name but with a strong desire to grab a second chance.

“It kind of gives you determination to work at it,” he said.

“(West Coast’s) Matt Priddis just won a Brownlow and he missed four drafts.

“If you are good enough, you can get there. I am trying to move on and stay positive. I am looking to the future and hopefully something opens up.”

Bourke landed at Geelong via pick 31 in last year’s rookie draft.

He played 15 games for the Cats’ VFL side and, after taking time to adjust, felt he finished the 2014 campaign strongly.

The former Geelong Falcon said he was disappointed to be delisted after one season but couldn’t fault the Cats, praising their strong culture and environment for their continual top four finishes. 

“I got a call on Tuesday night from Neil Balme asking if we could meet on Wednesday and I had an inkling it was about that,” Bourke said.

“Chris Scott, Neil Balme and Stephen Wells sat down and said there was not enough room on the list next year.

“I wasn’t expecting to come in and dominate AFL footy straight away with my body size but it was a bit of a shock to get one year.

“But Geelong are at that stage where they’re looking to win premierships.

“I loved my year there. Geelong are a great club and you can see why they are successful.

“They put a lot of time into me and I am very grateful.”

Bourke has spoken to his manager, fellow south-west export and Essendon great Scott Lucas, and will nominate for the drafts.

The athletic AFL-AIS graduate said he needed to build his body strength and contested possession work —  two aspects Geelong worked diligently to improve — to help boost his chances.

He added eight kilograms to his 190-centimetre frame this season but still felt too light at 84 kilograms.

Bourke impressed as a junior as a tall wingman, with his precise left-foot kicking and strong marking his greatest attributes.

He said an ability to complement his outside run with a strong contested game was paramount to making it at the elite level and that he had started to make inroads in that regard in the VFL.

“It was a fair step up and it took me a while to get used to it,” he said. “I was playing a different position, they tried me on a back flank.

“I felt my second half of the year was better. I felt comfortable in the position.”

Bourke will fly to Bali for a week on Sunday with close friend and Terang Mortlake export Lewis Taylor.

Taylor’s first year in the AFL contrasted significantly with his former Camperdown Mercy Regional College classmate — he played every game for the Brisbane Lions, culminating in the league’s rising star award.

“He deserves everything he gets,” Bourke said.

“He’s put in the hard yards from a young age and I am happy to see where he’s got to.”

Bourke’s 2013 south-west draft teammates — Taylor, Essendon’s Zach Merrett and Gold Coast’s Louis Herbert — all made their AFL debuts in 2014.