The unanimous verdict on Marlion Pickett is that he’s ready.

While Pickett has become the story of this AFL grand final with his unexpected debut, Richmond teammates are as adamant about his ability to cope with the pressure as they are rapt for him.

Pickett boarded with Dustin Martin when the 27-year-old joined the Tigers in late May through the mid-season draft.

“He’s a genuine caring person who’s put his head down and worked hard and I couldn’t be prouder of him and the club for giving him a chance,” Martin told AAP.

“It’s special but he will be up to it so I’m looking forward to seeing what he can bring.”

Much has been made of Pickett’s troubled youth, which included jail time in Perth.

But Tigers defender Nick Vlastuin said Pickett’s finger surgery a few days before the draft also meant his arrival at Punt Rd was no sure thing.

“It’s just an amazing story – he broke his finger, needed 10 weeks off, the week before the mid-season draft,” Vlastuin said.

“If you told him he probably would have been picked up by a club, let alone play in the grand final, he’d tell you ‘You’re dreaming’.

“But since he’s come in, he had that 10-week mini pre-season and that’s probably helped him.

“He dominated the last week in the VFL, so the coaches just couldn’t keep him out. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.”

Sitting next to Vlastuin in the grand final parade was Shane Edwards, who said that the inspiration in this story had gone beyond Pickett.

“You can’t argue with form and the amazing thing is Kamdyn McIntosh and Jack Ross were the first guys to congratulate him,” Edwards said of the teammates who missed out on a grand final recall.

“Those two are the heartbreak story. It’s a real pat on the back for those two guys.”