Five WAFL players added to AFL Rookie listsMonday, November 28, 2016 - 4:55 PM

THE West Australian Football Commission congratulates the five WAFL players added to AFL Rookie lists during today’s AFL Rookie Draft.

They include #11 Cameron Zurhaar (East Fremantle), #12 Thomas Gorter (East Perth), #21 Luke Strnadica (East Fremantle), #43 Matthew Taylor (Perth) and Category B Rookie Tarir Bayok (East Perth) – the first player selected from West Coast’s new Next Generation Academy.

This takes the total number of WA players drafted in 2016 to 15, including 10 in the NAB AFL National Draft on Friday, November 25.

WAFC CEO Gavin Taylor congratulated all of WA’s draftees and said to have 15 players from the WAFL competition added to AFL lists was a positive result for WA Football.

“To see all of these players receive an opportunity at an AFL club is terrific. Everyone who has played a role in helping them achieve this goal should be very proud, especially their WAFL clubs, junior clubs and schools” he said.

“While this is a positive result in line with our expectations based on previous years’ results, as an organisation we realise there is still a lot of work to do to ensure we can improve the standard of talent coming from WA going forward.

“We must continue to explore opportunities that will increase the strength, quality and consistency of our talent pathway so that WA can be recognized as one of the best breeding grounds for AFL talent in Australia.”

WAFL Players – 2016 AFL Rookie Draft

11 – Cameron Zurhaar (East Fremantle/Melville) – North Melbourne

12 – Thomas Gorter (East Perth / Kojonup) – West Coast

21 – Luke Strnadica (East Fremantle / Winnacott) – Fremantle

43 – Matthew Taylor (Perth / Chittering) – North Melbourne

Category B – Tarir Bayok (East Perth / Ellenbrook) – West Coast

Former Fremantle and Perth Football Club player Tendai Mzungu was rookie-listed by Greater Western Sydney after being delisted by Fremantle at the end of the 2016 season.

Former Subiaco player Josh Deluca was re-listed by Fremantle, former Perth player Fraser McInnes was re-listed by West Coast and former South Fremantle player Cameron Loersch was re-listed by Gold Coast, all as AFL Rookies.

WAFL Players – 2016 AFL National Draft

6 – Sam Petrevski-Seton (Claremont/Halls Creek) – Carlton

8 – Griffin Logue (Swan Districts/Guildford Grammar) – Fremantle

18 – Sam Powell-Pepper (East Perth/Wesley College/Mt Hawthorn) – Port Adelaide

19 – Tim English (South Fremantle/Brookton-Pingelly) – Western Bulldogs

27 – Zac Fisher (Perth/Guildford Grammar/York Roos) – Carlton

29 – Shai Bolton (South Fremantle/Forrestdale) – Richmond

37 – Josh Rotham (West Perth/Whitfords) – West Coast

48 – Darcy Cameron (Claremont / North Albany / Hale) – Sydney

60 – Quinton Narkle (Perth/Wesley College/Maddington) – Geelong

77 – Jake Waterman (Claremont/Marist) – West Coast

WA product Cedric Cox was selected at pick #24 by the Brisbane Lions via North Ballarat after moving from Halls Creek in WA’s north west at the beginning of the year.

Former Claremont player Matt de Boer received a second opportunity to play AFL with Greater Western Sydney after being delisted by Fremantle at the end of the 2016 season.

Another former Claremont player, Timm House, was selected by Geelong at #68 after relocating from WA and being cleared to Geelong’s VFL side.

Former Esperance junior Brad Scheer was drafted at #67 by Gold Coast as an Academy selection after moving to Queensland as a junior.