Page 44 - AFL QUEENSLAND 2012 YEAR IN REVIEW

QUEENSLAND DRAFTEES
LOCAL TALENT SHINES THROUGH IN LEAN DRAFT YEAR
Four young Queenslanders were picked by AFL Clubs in 2012 while a further four local products found new homes or were relisted via the draft system.
With clubs tightening their financial belts, predictions of a lean draft were realised when key position prospect Clay Cameron was the only Queenslander chosen in November’s NAB AFL Draft - a priority zone selection by the Gold Coast SUNS with pick No. 58.
A born-and-bred Brisbane boy, Cameron played most of his football with Mt Gravatt. He played State level Under 16’s in 2009 before his 2010 campaign was severely disrupted by osteitis-pubis.
A member of the 2012 AFL/AIS squad, Cameron’s ability to play back or as a tall forward sealed the deal with the GC SUNS.
Adam Oxley (Redland), Andrew Boston (Broadbeach) and Jordon Bourke (Morningside) will also start their elite-level AFL journey in 2013 after being picked up in the December Rookie Draft
First to be chosen was Adam Oxley, who was listed by Collingwood at pick 35.
Oxley started playing Aussie rules in Ainslie as a six year old before joining Redland juniors when the family moved to Queensland.
A member of the South Eastern Bushrangers from Under 14’s through to Under 18’s, Oxley’s commitment paid off in 2011 when he was included in the Under 18 Queensland Scorpions leadership group as an over-age representative.
A great 2012 NEAFL season saw Oxley finish third in the NEAFL Rising Star and gain selection in the Under 21 Queensland/ Northern Territory State team.
Brisbane born and Gold Coast raised, Andrew Boston will be staying close to home after being Rookie listed by the Gold Coast SUNS at selection 55.
Boston is the son of prominent junior coach Neil Boston who played senior QAFL football for Western Districts.
Boston graduated from the Gold Coast SUNS Academy this year and boasts a long list of honours and awards including Broadbeach Junior Club Champion for 2010 and a State representation from under 12’s through to under 18’s.
Boston’s selection tops off a season which saw him claim the NEAFL Rising Star Award and All-Australian selection at the Under 18 NAB AFL National Championships.
Both Oxley (Victoria Point SHS) and Boston (Helensvale SHS) are products of the AFL Queensland Schools of Excellence system.
18-year-old Jordan Bourke, picked up by the Brisbane Lions with pick 56, is an AIS/AFL Academy graduate whose father Damian played 22 matches with the Brisbane Bears from 1993-95.
He becomes the first ever member of the Hyundai Lions Academy development program to be drafted onto the club’s list.
Recognised largely as a tall forward who is strong overhead, Bourke proved a standout for Queensland in the U16 NAB AFL
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2012 Year in Review
Clay Cameron
Andrew Boston