world
Injured Teen Switches to Australian Rules Football
A fractured back from a motocross accident led an 18-year-old ruckman to pursue an AFL career. He is now playing for South Australia in the national under-18 championships. The national draft is scheduled for November.
Audio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
A motocross accident two years ago left an 18-year-old with a fractured back and ended his riding. The injury prompted him to focus on Australian rules football instead. The 206-centimetre ruckman from Mount Gambier joined Glenelg's under-18 squad after winning a local carnival best-player award. He played several games last year and committed fully in 2026.
Australia under-18s coach Tony Bamford included the teenager in the state squad after watching improvement across four games. Bamford noted the player's mobility, coordination, and above-average skills for his size. Family members drive five hours each way from Mount Gambier to Adelaide for training and matches.
The player balances this schedule with his second-year apprenticeship as an electrician.
The ruckman said West Coast and Sydney contacted him after trial games. His family prefers he follow the path of two other South East players drafted by Essendon. Specialist coaching from an AFL-listed ruck is helping refine his ruck craft and marking. The national draft is set for November.
Transparency
How sources framed this
Single source — no framing comparison available.
CorroborationLimited · 1 source
