Thursday 17 February 2011
Mt Gravatt have pulled off a significant late recruiting coup with the acquisition of quality midfielders Albert Proud and Andrew Scott.
Proud went straight back to the Vultures, where he graduated as a junior, after being told by the Brisbane Lions his services were no longer required.
The 22-year-old has trained regularly at Mt Gravatt during his two periods of suspension from the Lions and is determined to turn his life around, more so than his career, this time.
Proud met with Vultures coach David Lake last week less than 24 hours after his dismissal from the Gabba and committed on the spot.
The hard midfielder, who played 29 senior games in four seasons with the Lions, is working for assistant coach Neville Millar and is keen to start an apprenticeship when the opportunity arises.
Lake has been nothing but impressed with Proud over the last week.
“In his first session back as a Mt Gravatt player he took training to a new level,” Lake said. “It was the most intense session in all the time I have been here.”
Proud was always a standout performer when he returned to the QAFL with the Lions Reserves and if he sticks to right path on and off the field, he will be a massive influence on the Vultures’ prospects in the inaugural North East AFL season.
Complementing the arrival of Proud was the news that Scott would return to Dittmer Park from WAFL club Subiaco, two seasons after finishing runner-up in the Vultures’ best and fairest voting.
Another strong-bodied midfielder who wins plenty of hard-ball, Scott will add smarts and experience to a midfield that is suddenly bursting at the seams with talent.
Scott played five senior games in the WAFL last season, averaging 8.4 possessions per game.
He signed a two-year deal with Subiaco but his opportunities were going to be more limited this season with the unique points ranking system that applies to every player in every WAFL club.
He is set to arrive back in Brisbane in time for the Club Aid Trophy competition next month.
