[1][2] After being overlooked in the 2007 and 2008 AFL drafts, Nason moved to fellow SANFL club, Central District for the 2009 season,[1] in an attempt to further his career.
[1] He finished 2009 having played 19 reserves games for a return of 29 goals,[1] and was named as an emergency in Central's SANFL Grand Final team.
[1] Nason caught the eye of AFL recruiters when he was one of the best players in a practice match between South Australia's under-20 side and their under-18s team.
Geelong, Port Adelaide, Fremantle and Richmond all showed interest in him,[2] but Nason was not confident and "didn't think [he] would be drafted".
[2][4] However, the diagnosis proved to be hyper-extension and bone bruising,[4] which only resulted in Nason missing two weeks and he played Richmond's remaining two pre-season matches.