West Australian Football

WESTERN Australia’s AFL Draft success continued in 2011 with a total of 28 players added to AFL lists through the AFL National and Rookie Drafts.

This included 14 players in the AFL National Draft and the pre-selection of Gerald Ugle and Nathan Wilson by Greater Western Sydney.

Stephen Coniglio was selected by Greater Western Sydney at number two, Claremont's Tom Mitchell was drafted by Sydney with pick 21, South Fremantle's Josh Bootsma was selected by Carlton with pick 22 and Swan Districts play Murray Newman was selected by West Coast with pick 23.

Another 12 players were added to AFL lists in the Rookie Draft.

Simon Tunbridge was also in line to be pre-selected by Greater Western Sydney but left the club before being rookie-listed by West Coast.

All of the other players selected in the Rookie Draft have been added to an AFL list for the first time, apart from Brad Dick, Clancee Pearce and Sam Menegola, who have each been given a second opportunity.

Dick was delisted by Collingwood and rookie-listed by West Coast, Pearce was re-listed by Fremantle and Menegola was also offered an opportunity at Fremantle after being delisted by Hawthorn.

Mature-age WAFL players Kyal Horlsey, Cory Dell’Olio and Brendan Lee each received the opportunity to achieve their AFL dream, continuing WA’s record of producing quality mature-age recruits.

The result means that 131 WA players have been added to AFL club lists over the past five years via the National, Rookie and Pre Season drafts.

Pictured:  Stephen Coniglio

2011 NATIONAL DRAFT

2 – Stephen Coniglio (Swan Districts / LaSalle College/ Upper Swan JFC) – GWS

21 – Tom Mitchell (Claremont / Hale School / Ashburton JFC) - Sydney (father/son)

22 – Josh Bootsma (South Fremantle / North Albany) - Carlton

23 – Murray Newman (Swan Districts / Upper Swan JFC) - West Coast

28 – Fraser McInnes (Perth / Trinity College / South Perth JFC) - West Coast Eagles

30 – Elliott Yeo (East Fremantle / Aquinas College / Booragoon JFC) - Brisbane Lions

32 – Joel Hamling (Claremont / Cable Beach FC) - Geelong

33 – Bradley Hill (West Perth / Quinns JFC) - Hawthorn

34 – Shane Kersten (South Fremantle / Kwinana JFC) - Geelong

43 – Jordan Lockyer (West Perth / Kinross JFC) - Sydney Swans

45 – Brendon Ah Chee (South Fremantle / Kelmscott JFC) - Port Adelaide

51 – Nathan Blee (East Perth / Ballajura JFC) - Port Adelaide

65 – Corey Gault (Swan Districts / Mazenod College / Brookton Pingelly) - Colingwood

68 – Beau Wilkes (Claremont / West Coast / Railways Albany) - St. Kilda

2011 GWS PRE-SELECTIONS

Gerald Ugle (Perth / Guildford Grammar / Beverly)

Nathan Wilson (Peel Thunder / Mandurah Centrals)

2011 ROOKIE DRAFT

2 – Kyal Horlsey (Subiaco / Kalgoorlie) – Gold Coast

18 – Cam Eardley (East Fremantle / East Fremantle JFC) – Geelong

26 – Haiden Schloithe (South Fremantle / Katanning Wanderers) – Fremantle

29 – Cory Dell'Olio (South Fremantle / South Coogee JFC) – Essendon

33 – Callum Papertalk (East Fremantle / Chapman Valley) – West Coast

35 – Marley Williams (Claremont / Albany) – Collingwood

43 – Steven Verrier (South Fremantle / Kwinana JFC) – Richmond

44 – Sam Menegola (Hawthorn / East Fremantle / Attadale JFC) – Fremantle

51 – Simon Tunbridge (Greater Western Sydney / Perth / Dongara) – West Coast

68 – Brad Dick (Collingwood / East Fremantle / Chapman Valley) – West Coast

75 – Clancee Pearce (Fremantle / Swan Districts / Midvale JFC) – Fremantle

78 – Brendan Lee (East Perth / Busselton) – Essendon