After spending the past week training with the Club, both Nicholas Hayes (Woodville West-Torrens) and Jordon Bourke (Morningside) were officially selected by the Lions with Pick No.6 and Queensland Academy pre-selection No.63 respectively - while Callum Bartlett was also re-drafted with Pick 21.
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Hayes, 18, is a smart and strong-marking forward who kicked 74 goals in half a season with Sacred Heart School in South Australia this season, before going on to play 13 matches with Woodville West-Torrens U18 in the SANFL - including their 2012 Grand Final victory.
“Nick is a very clever and courageous footballer who our South Australian scouts identified early in the year and showed great improvement when playing SANFL U18s,” Lions National Talent Manager Rob Kerr said.
“As a player, he’s a forward who should graduate into someone who can play through the midfield.”
“We rated him so highly that we almost took him with our third round draft choice at the National Draft - so are delighted that we have managed to have our cake and eat it too!”
Local product Bourke, 18, is an AIS-AFL Academy graduate whose father Damian played 22 matches with the Brisbane Bears from 1993-95.
He becomes the first ever member of the Hyundai Lions Academy development program to be drafted onto the Club’s list.
Recognised largely as a tall forward who is strong overhead, Bourke proved a standout for Queensland in the U16 NAB AFL National Championships, earning the Alan McLean Medal as the best player in Division Two.
At 193cm, he also recorded the fourth best overall agility score (8.30 sec), and seventh fastest 20m sprint time (2.92 sec) at the 2012 AFL Draft Combine.
“Jordon is a leading forward whose marking is his strength,” Kerr said.
“He was highly rated at the conclusion of 2011, but probably didn’t quite have the year he would have liked this year.”
“With his speed, agility and reach, we also think he has a lot of the attributes that could see him play as a defender if developed in that area of the ground.”
“It’s not unusual that players from the non-traditional football States don’t quite develop at the same rate as the traditional football States. But we’re hoping that by placing Jordon in the system full-time, he fulfils the undoubted potential he has.”
Bartlett, meanwhile, was re-drafted to Lions’ as a rookie after being delisted at last month’s final AFL list lodgement.
The Geelong Falcons midfielder has undergone extensive rehabilitation from two knee reconstructions since he was originally drafted with Pick No.27 at the 2010 AFL National Draft, and is yet to feature in a senior AFL match.
But the Lions maintain high hopes for Bartlett who regained valuable match fitness last season, and was a key member of the Reserves’ 2012 NEAFL Premiership side.
“Callum has obviously suffered a couple of knee injuries and had an illness at the start of this pre-season,” Kerr said.
“But the last few weeks suggests he’s beginning to put his run of bad luck behind him. The real important thing for Cal is that he reaches a level of fitness that he has yet been unable to achieve due to injury. Only then will we get to see what his best looks like.”
The Club will head into the 2013 season with a primary list of only 39 players after opting to pass on its Pre-Season Draft selection (Pick No.4 overall).
The Lions instead plan on filling that final vacant senior position with a pre-season nominated rookie upgrade before the start of the season.
“This option gives the coach some extra flexibility to add a player who either fills a need, or has performed the strongest throughout the pre-season,” Kerr said.
“It also gives each of the rookies the incentive to chase a spot on the senior list, and that bit of extra encouragement to put their best foot forward.”
