Over a month ago it was announced eight AFL champions were putting the boots back on this year in a program set up to help local footy.
The Carlton Draft will see the eight ex-AFL players join local clubs for a game, in what will be a major boost for grassroots football.
Local football was heavily hit during the pandemic, and the program will try to help clubs get back on their feet after the toughest financial period in recent memory.
It will aim to bring together Victorian communities and encourage them to come and support local footy, by seeing their heroes line up amongst locals.
Head of AFL Victoria Ben Kavenagh says local competitions are an important part of the game and helping to bring them back is a major focus this year.
"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.
A month after launching, the campaign saw over 500 clubs nominate and the eight participating clubs have been revealed.
The clubs are as follows:
- Campbells Creek Football Netball Clubย โ Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League
- Nhill & District Sporting Clubย โ Wimmera Football League
- North Wangaratta Football Netball Clubย โ Ovens and King Football League
- Portarlington Football Clubย โ Bellarine Football league
- Dalyston Football Netball Clubย โ West Gippsland Football Netball Competition
- Branxholme Wallacedale Football Clubย โ South West District Football Netball League
- Longwood Football Netball Clubย โ Kyabram District Football Netball League
- Gormandale Football Netball Clubย โ North Gippsland Football League
The eight lucky clubs will select one player from the pool to join their team for a day, a pool that includes over 2300 games of AFL experience.
Jarryd Roughead,ย Eddie Betts,ย Dale Thomas,ย Nathan Jones,ย Brendon Goddard, Alex Rance,ย Shaun Burgoyne and Cameron Mooney will all line up for one side each.
Roughead, a four-time premiership Hawk, expressed his excitement in pulling the boots back on at the local level.
"For the lucky eight clubs selected to have the opportunity to draft a former AFL legend will be a sight to behold for the local community and all of us draftees canโt wait to play a role in bringing the spark back to local footy," he said.
"I would love to go as high as possible in the draft but regardless of when my name is called, I canโt wait to meet my new teammates, pull the boots on and rally the local community together."
The draft will be broadcasted on FOX FOOTY on Wednesday 27 April.
