AFL dreams become a reality for 5 lucky Queenslanders.
Five Queenslanders have been primary listed by AFL Clubs following the 2012 NAB AFL Draft in Sydney on Thursday night.
Jackson Allen, Alex Sexton and Alik Magin were listed by the Gold Coast Suns, with Peter Yagmoor and Dayne Zorko – Gold Coast Suns priority picks who were on-traded last month to Collingwood and Brisbane Lions respectively – rounding out the crop of newly listed players.
The Suns used selection 80 to promote Rookie Alik Magin, a 185cm midfielder whose father Bill is a member of AFL Queensland’s Hall of Fame.
Redland player and former Springwood junior Alex Sexton was picked up at selection 88 and Morningside Panthers player Jackson Allen was chosen with pick 91. Both youngsters were Gold Coast Suns Priority Access players.
AFLQ Talent Manager Bob Batty said that competition for this year’s draft spots had been tough.
“After you take out the 14 players elevated from rookie lists to primary list and the 3 Father/Son picks only 71 players were picked up in the draft,” explained Batty.
“Queensland aims to secure 8% of the pool each year; 5 out of 71 picks equates to 7 % of the draft so we are just under our target at this stage.”
Batty says the opportunity to be listed in 2012 is not lost for those hopefuls who didn’t have their name called on Thursday night.
“All the remaining Queenslanders eligible for the draft – but not taken – can look forward to the NAB AFL Rookie Draft Selection meeting on December 13 when they will get another chance to realise their dream of getting to an AFL club.”
