AFL Clubs eyeing NSW/ACT players

With the NAB Draft to be conducted tonight on the Gold Coast, AFL (NSW/ACT) is excited by the number of players already pre-listed by AFL Clubs for season 2011.

The Greater Western Sydney Giants have already pre-listed six NSW/ACT players in Jacob Townsend, Kurt Aylett, Sam Shulz, Anthony Miles, Mark Whiley and Josh Bruce. While NSW Scholarship holder Tom Young will join Collingwood tonight and many others may be drafted by various AFL Clubs.

On top of this, four NSW scholarship holders will be rookie-listed on December 7 as well as Tim Segrave to GWS. Hawthorn will pick up Sydney’s Will Langford and the Illawarra’s Jack Mahony, the Adelaide Crows will draft Merimbula’s Sam Martyn while Sydney’s Jackson Ferguson will play for St Kilda.

This means at least 12 NSW and ACT born and bred players will be drafted this year which is a remarkable achievement for the Talented Player Program. The number of NSW/ACT players on AFL lists is on the rise with three drafted in 2006, to eight in 2008 and nine players in 2009. This number may increase in the coming years with the introduction of the Sydney Swans and GWS Academies.