Four Peter Jackson VFL players today had their AFL dream come true, with selection in the 2015 AFL Rookie Draft.
Williamstown premiership pair Andrew Gallucci (Carlton) and Adam Marcon (Richmond), Geelong VFL’s Tom Ruggles (Geelong) and Essendon VFL’s Anthony McDonald Tipungwuti (Essendon) were all selected today in the rookie draft, taking the total number VFL players to the AFL in 2015 to eight.
The four rookie selections join AFL Draft picks Mitch Brown (Sandringham to Essendon), Michael Hartley (Coburg to Essendon), Sam Collins (Box Hill Hawks to Fremantle) and Rupert Wills (Collingwood VFL to Collingwood).
Gallucci, in his second season at the Seagulls after his time at Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup, impressed in 2015, kicked 29 goals from 19 games, after just the once senior game in his debut VFL season. He was not only a premiership Williamstown player, but also was named in the VFL Team of the Year.
Tipungwuti, in his third season in the VFL, joined the Bombers from Gippsland Power in the TAC Cup. After 10 games in 2013 and 11 in 2014, he had his most impressive season compiling 20 games and gained a reputation as a hard at it defender for the Bombers.
Ruggles, Geelong VFL best and fairest in 2015, was in his second stint in the VFL, having played 17 games with Werribee between 2012 and 2013 after graduating from the Geelong Falcons. In 2014 he returned to local football with Leopold, gaining selection in the Geelong FL Team of the Year, before being selected on the Geelong VFL list in 2015.
Marcon, a former Northern Knight, started his VFL career with Northern Blues, before transferring to Williamstown in 2014. He will join former Knights, Seagull and Blues’ teammate Kane Lambert at Richmond in 2016. Lambert himself was rookie list at Richmond in the 2014 draft, before being elevated to the senior list following 13 games this year for the Tigers; debuting in Round 2 against the Western Bulldogs.
The pair is part of a unique group of VFL Fothergill-Round Medal winners over the last decade – the award for the best U23 player in the competition – all of who have been drafted to the AFL. The list includes Dean Towers (North Ballarat), Nic Newman (Frankston), Ahmed Saad (Northern Blues), Michael Barlow (Werribee), Robin Nahas (Port Melbourne), Michael Hibberd (Frankston), Shane Valenti (Sandringham) and Jason Davenport (Geelong).
See below the list of rookies, plus CLICK HERE for the list of AFL draftees.
| 19 |
Andrew Gallucci |
Williamstown |
Carlton |
| 22 |
Anthony McDonald Tipungwuti |
Essendon VFL |
Essendon |
| 44 |
Tom Ruggles |
Geelong VFL |
Geelong |
| 47 |
Adam Marcon |
Williamstown |
Richmond |
Last Modified on 27/11/2015 16:33
