Bray joins the Blues
Article from the Macarthur Chronicle
THE Greater Western Sydney Giants were three years too late for strapping Tahmoor teenager Blake Bray.
Little more than a week after the AFL’s newest Sydney team unveiled their name and colours, 18-year-old Bray’s footy future had been neatly sewn up by Melbourne’s Carlton Football Club.
Three years ago the club spotted the youngster’s potential and signed him to an AFL-funded scholarship.
Now an intimidating 191cm and weighing more than 80kg, the specialist full forward was named Carlton’s NSW Scholarship Rookie last week.
While he will be unavailable for senior selection this season he will train with the club on a full-time basis and play with VFL feeder club Northern Bullants.
Carlton also will have the opportunity to place Bray on its senior list prior to future drafts. The news was still sinking in for the unashamed Sydney Swans supporter on Friday. “Awesome,” was all he could say. “I was definitely surprised.”
Bray, who has played for Western Suburbs seniors in the Sydney AFL competition since he was 15, heads to Melbourne on December 7 for orientation. He’ll be back home for Christmas before relocating full-time.
He admits his mother is beside herself.
“She doesn’t want me to go away … but everyone is really excited for me,” he said.
Bray is one of 17 NSW/ACT born players to be listed by an AFL club this season. All of the players were part of the AFL NSW/ACT Talented Player Program at some stage in their teenage years.
