Sport
5 April, 2023
Mystery AFL legend headed to Rovers
Maryborough Rovers will have the opportunity of a lifetime to play alongside an AFL legend, with the club one of six successful applicants for Carlton and United Breweries’ Carlton Draft program. The announcement comes in the wake of Campbells...
Maryborough Rovers will have the opportunity of a lifetime to play alongside an AFL legend, with the club one of six successful applicants for Carlton and United Breweries’ Carlton Draft program.
The announcement comes in the wake of Campbells Creek also succeeding in last year’s corresponding program, securing the services of Alex Rance for their round four clash against Maldon.
In 2023, Rovers will have the opportunity to pick one of six players, with the player pool including 2003 Brownlow Medallist Nathan Buckley, media personalities in Jordan Lewis, Bernie Vince and Kane Cornes, Sydney premiership player Josh Kennedy and Fremantle games record holder David Mundy.
The player draft will be held in late April, where Rovers will learn which player they have and which game they’ll line up in.
Rovers president Daniel Wiseman said it was a great opportunity for the club in the wake of a tough period, which had recently seen the club open serious amalgamation talks with Royal Park, while also struggling on the field, winning just one game over the past two seasons, and three overall since the start of the 2019 season.
“It has everyone up and about. We’re excited to have any one of the six players. To have them all day, and hearing them have a talk afterwards is great. To have Carlton Draught basically organise the day for us is a great opportunity for the club,” he said.
“We put the application in on the website, and emphasised the lack of success that we’ve had around the football side of things over the last couple of years in senior and junior football.
“We said that it would be exciting to have an AFL player with us for the day to create a great buzz for everyone, and we found out that we were successful over the last few days.
“There’s a lot of interest in it after the announcement that we made on our social media.”
Wiseman eagerly anticipates the draft, which will be telecast live on TV.
“We’ll find out late in April who we’ll have and which game they’ll line up for us,” he said.
Potential home games which will be held after the draft sees Rovers host Carisbrook on May 6, Talbot on May 20 and Campbells Creek on June 17.