A recently retired AFL star is set to pull on the blue and red of the Portarlington Football Netball Club this season.
The club was announced on Friday as one of eight clubs across the state to take part in the Carlton Draft.
The initiative by Carlton Draught will see the eight clubs draft one of eight former AFL stars to play in one home game during the season.
The players up for grabs in the draft, which will be held on April 27, include four-time premiership Hawk Jarryd Roughead, four-time goal of the year winner Eddie Betts, 2010 Collingwood premiership player Dale Thomas, recently retired Demon and 300 gamer Nathan Jones, two-time All Australian Brendon Goddard, 2017 Richmond premiership player and five-time All Australian Alex Rance, 407 game superstar and four-time premiership player Shaun Burgoyne and three-time premiership player and former Cats star Cameron Mooney.
Portarlington Football Netball Club was selected from more than 500 entries across the state and club president Steve Cogger it was really exciting for the club.
“This is more than just the identity of the player and what they’ll do on the field for one game,” he said.
“This is a chance to showcase our club and get eyes on our club.
“Anyone who knows the Portarlington Football Club knows that we’ve down for a while, so we thought this was the perfect avenue to promote the club.
“We’re in a difficult spot in that you have to pass seven other clubs to get to Portarlington, but Portarlington is becoming a destination and we want to capitalise on that.
“We’re grateful that we’ve been picked and we’re hopeful that no matter who we get in the draft, it gets some people down to see what a great club we are.
“We’re well administered, our junior football is doing great, so is our netball, it’s just that one area – senior football – where we’re not where we want to be.
“But this is an amazing opportunity for us.”
Cogger said he knew who he hoped to see the club select on draft day, but kept coy on who that was.
“We’ve spoken about it and overwhelmingly there was one player we would like, but we are more than happy to see any of them come down for a game,” he said.
The Carlton Draft iniative was announced earlier this year to support grassroots football clubs that had struggled, particularly during the past few years.
AFL Victoria head Ben Kavenagh the initiative would help spark interest in local football again following several disrupted years.
“Community football is the lifeblood of our game and ensuring local clubs and leagues bounce back after two incredibly challenging years for grassroots sport in our state is a major focus in 2022,” he said.
“I would like to thank Carlton Draught for backing community football in such a significant way, at a time when support for players, coaches, umpires, volunteers and the clubs they’re part of has never been more important.
“What a fantastic response with hundreds of community football clubs entering the competition, which shows how much football means to so many Victorians.”
The other seven clubs selected were Campbells Creek Football Netball Club, Nhill and District Sporting Club, North Wangaratta Football Netball Club, Dalyston Football Netball Club, Branxholme Wallacedale Football Club, Longwood Football Netball Club and Gormandale Football Netball Club.
