A number of surprise selections greeted five Peter Jackson VFL players as they were picked in the 2013 NAB AFL Rookie Draft.
While the popular draft predictions of Port Melbourne’s Chris Cain, Northern Blues’ Kane Lambert Bendigo’s Alik Magin and Geelong’s Matt Sully were not selected by AFL clubs, a number of VFL players from varying backgrounds were given their opportunity next season on an AFL list as rookies.
Williamstown ruckman Cameron Wood finds himself at his third AFL club after stints with Brisbane and Collingwood, heading to Carlton. Wood averaged 25 hitouts a game in 2013 for Williamstown in the VFL and finished fourth in their best and fairest as he attempted to gain another opportunity on an AFL list.
Jacob Ballard was in his first season at the Northern Blues, unlucky not to be drafted in 2012 after averaging 24 touches a game for the Northern Knights. Despite an injury interrupted preseason, he played five senior games for the Blues along with 14 AFL Victoria Development League matches where he helped the Blues to a preliminary final berth before his rookie draft selection by Fremantle. He was also part of the VFL Academy in 2013.
Essendon recruit Patrick Ambrose returned to the VFL this year after a previous stint at Coburg, last year playing for Old Xaverians in the VAFA . He was listed by Essendon’s new VFL standalone side in 2013, playing the first 10 games of the year in the VAFA before finishing the season strongly with seven matches for the VFL Bombers, including their elimination final against Werribee.
Similar to teammate Patrick Ambrose, 23 year-old Zac O’Brien excelled in the second half of the season playing 11 straight games for the VFL Bombers in his first year in the competition. Originally from Yarrawonga, O’Brien this year also played at Aberfeldie and was part of their unsuccessful Grand Final appearance against Greenvale in the EDFL, and will now head north to join the Brisbane Lions..
The last rookie selection from the Peter Jackson VFL was Werribee’s Ben Ross. In his second season in the VFL after being delisted by North Melbourne at the end of 2011, Ross returns to the AFL, selected by premiers Hawthorn. Ross won the 2012 VFL J.J. Liston Trophy for the best and fairest in the competition, and was selected in the VFL state team in 2012 and 2013.
These five players join the three selected at the NAB AFL Draft last week. CLICK HERE to view the previous selections.
See the list below of the VFL NAB AFL Rookie selections:
Zachary O'Brien |
Essendon (VFL) / Yarrawonga |
Brisbane Lions |
Patrick Ambrose |
Essendon (VFL) / Old Xaverians |
Essendon |
Cameron Wood |
Williamstown / Collingwood |
Carlton |
Jacob Ballard |
Northern Blues / Warrandyte JFC |
Fremantle |
Ben Ross |
Werribee / North Melbourne |
Hawthorn |
Last Modified on 28/11/2013 09:04