OMP Sports’ Ben Long along with fellow NT teammates Brandan Parfitt and Tony Olango are hoping to find AFL clubs in draft
TERRITORY football’s hopes of getting more players in AFL ranks hinge on a successful foray into this week’s national draft.
AFLNT high performance manager Wally Gallio will be at the draft in Sydney when at least six Territory hopefuls put their lives and careers on the line.
“Once again it’s the great unknown,” Gallio said, “with between 1000 and 1500 young players Australia-wide contesting probably 55 picks in the draft proper and 30 or 40 in the pre-season and rookie draft three days later.
“We’ve got some serious chances this year, but the reality is you don’t know what the clubs are thinking.
“Tony Olango, Brandan Parfitt and Ben Long loom large after their performances at the under-18 nationals and the national combine camp and we’ve got Alice Springs pair Jamie Hampton (Pioneer) and Rohan Armstrong (South Alice), plus Lachlan McKenzie.’’
Olango, a 201cm, 80kg ruckman of South Sudanese parents, is the most intriguing, having moved away from soccer to make Australian football his chosen sport.
To read the full article, go to; http://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/local-afl/nt-footballers-brandan-parfitt-ben-long-and-tony-olango-hoping-to-find-afl-clubs-in-draft/news-story/6996c91b77433f86ba3be30ef6b71b94