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Roos secure NSW rookie signature
5:58:16 PM Tue 2 May, 2006
The Sydney club that produced 1996 Premiership player Mark Roberts has provided the Kangaroos with their inaugural NSW AFL Scholarship signing.
James Wilsen, a 16-year-old, 194-centimetre key forward who plays seniors for St George in the Sydney league, first came to the attention of Kangaroos Recruiting Manager Neville Stibbard at the 2005 National under-16 Championships, representing New South Wales/ACT.
The newly introduced NSW AFL Scholarship Scheme allows each AFL club to sign a maximum of two players per year.
To be eligible, players must be aged 15 to 17 years and have lived in the eligible New South Wales regions (determined to be development AFL markets) for at least three years.
Scholarship players - who are free to sign with the club of their choice - receive a minimum scholarship of $10,000 per year (capped to a maximum of $20,000 per year) and can be upgraded to their aligned club?s Primary or Rookie List once they attain draft age.
?James is an aggressive leading forward who can take a big mark,? explained Stibbard, who immediately after signing Wilsen on Monday when the signing period for the Scholarship Scheme officially opened.
?He has good awareness and, after viewing his highlights package from the U16s Carnival, Dean (Laidley) and the match committee believe James has good scope for improvement.?
Kangaroos Development Coach Neil Connell will devise and oversee James? individual development program and work closely with his coaches at both St George and the Rams under-17s.
While the Scholarship Scheme requires players to remain living within their eligible region during the term of their scholarship, James will have access to our club?s coaching resources and train with the Kangaroos in Melbourne during the school holidays.
A year 11 student, James attends East Hills Secondary College, which proudly boasts the legendary Waugh twins and champion swimmer Ian Thorpe as former pupils.
However, of the 800 students currently attending the school in Sydney?s south-west, James says he could ?count on one hand? the number that play Australian football.
?Both of my uncles played rugby league at a reasonable standard and I?ve been to a couple of NRL games, but to me the AFL is much quicker, more skilful and more exciting in general,? James said.
Whilst he has harboured dreams of playing in the AFL from the time he attended his first AusKick clinic at the Bankstown Junior Football Club as a four-year-old, James remains realistic with his expectations.
?I?m really grateful for the opportunity given to me by the Kangaroos and am looking forward to learning as much as I can about what it takes to reach the top level,? he said.
?I just want to get the most out of myself.?
Stibbard paid tribute to James? parents for supporting their son in fully pursuing his chosen sport.
?James reckons they would have been lucky to get 10 kids turn up on a weekend when he first went down to the local Bankstown club,? he remarked.
?Over the years (James? parents) Kevin and Janelle would have clocked up thousands of kilometres taking their son to representative training, trials and carnivals. For James to get to the stage he?s at now is a real credit to his family.?
Roos secure NSW rookie signature
5:58:16 PM Tue 2 May, 2006
The Sydney club that produced 1996 Premiership player Mark Roberts has provided the Kangaroos with their inaugural NSW AFL Scholarship signing.
James Wilsen, a 16-year-old, 194-centimetre key forward who plays seniors for St George in the Sydney league, first came to the attention of Kangaroos Recruiting Manager Neville Stibbard at the 2005 National under-16 Championships, representing New South Wales/ACT.
The newly introduced NSW AFL Scholarship Scheme allows each AFL club to sign a maximum of two players per year.
To be eligible, players must be aged 15 to 17 years and have lived in the eligible New South Wales regions (determined to be development AFL markets) for at least three years.
Scholarship players - who are free to sign with the club of their choice - receive a minimum scholarship of $10,000 per year (capped to a maximum of $20,000 per year) and can be upgraded to their aligned club?s Primary or Rookie List once they attain draft age.
?James is an aggressive leading forward who can take a big mark,? explained Stibbard, who immediately after signing Wilsen on Monday when the signing period for the Scholarship Scheme officially opened.
?He has good awareness and, after viewing his highlights package from the U16s Carnival, Dean (Laidley) and the match committee believe James has good scope for improvement.?
Kangaroos Development Coach Neil Connell will devise and oversee James? individual development program and work closely with his coaches at both St George and the Rams under-17s.
While the Scholarship Scheme requires players to remain living within their eligible region during the term of their scholarship, James will have access to our club?s coaching resources and train with the Kangaroos in Melbourne during the school holidays.
A year 11 student, James attends East Hills Secondary College, which proudly boasts the legendary Waugh twins and champion swimmer Ian Thorpe as former pupils.
However, of the 800 students currently attending the school in Sydney?s south-west, James says he could ?count on one hand? the number that play Australian football.
?Both of my uncles played rugby league at a reasonable standard and I?ve been to a couple of NRL games, but to me the AFL is much quicker, more skilful and more exciting in general,? James said.
Whilst he has harboured dreams of playing in the AFL from the time he attended his first AusKick clinic at the Bankstown Junior Football Club as a four-year-old, James remains realistic with his expectations.
?I?m really grateful for the opportunity given to me by the Kangaroos and am looking forward to learning as much as I can about what it takes to reach the top level,? he said.
?I just want to get the most out of myself.?
Stibbard paid tribute to James? parents for supporting their son in fully pursuing his chosen sport.
?James reckons they would have been lucky to get 10 kids turn up on a weekend when he first went down to the local Bankstown club,? he remarked.
?Over the years (James? parents) Kevin and Janelle would have clocked up thousands of kilometres taking their son to representative training, trials and carnivals. For James to get to the stage he?s at now is a real credit to his family.?
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