Four Sharks picked up in the 2013 AFL Draft

The East Fremantle Football Club is thrilled to have 4 players selected in the 2013 AFL Draft.

The Club congratulates Patrick Cripps, Jarrad Jansen, Aliir Aliir and Jonathan Marsh on their selections. All four thoroughly deserved their selection, and we are certain will be a great asset to their respective Clubs.

Read more about our talent pathway success below.

Patrick Cripps

Drafted by: Carlton

Pick Number: 13

Position: Midfield

Junior Club: Northhampton

Patrick has come through the East Fremantle Football Club’s talent pathway, right through from 14’s development squads.  Patrick, from Northampton in our Midwest regional zone, boarded at Aquinas College.  Through those development squads Patrick was one of the shorter players, but always had excellent decision making, was always able to win his own ball and his execution also of a high standard.  2013 saw Patrick come in to the Colt’s program for the first time.  He had played 1^st XVIII at Aquinas in 2012, but had suffered a leg injury and as a result didn’t play much football.  An amazing growth spurt in excess of 20cm over two years saw Patrick arrive as the current day “big bodied inside midfielder.”

An outstanding start to 2013 saw him selected in the State 18’s, where he was eventually named Vice Captain and also won All-Australian honours.  Patrick has become somewhat of a stoppage specialist, winning the ball at will.  He has clean hands, excellent vision and all round football nouse.

Although missing a number of games through the State 18’s Program, Patrick finished runner-up in the East Fremantle Colt’s best and fairest.

Jarrad Jansen

Drafted by: Geelong

Pick Number: 36

Position: Midfield/Forward

Junior Club: Bullcreek Leeming

Jarrad has also come through the East Fremantle Football Club’s talent pathway, right through from 14’s development squads.  Jarrad, from Bull Creek Leeming Junior Football Club, played predominantly key position through his junior years.  In 2012 Jarrad broke in to the Colt’s side mid-year and played the remainder of that year, mainly at at centre half back.  In 2013 he was moved in to the midfield to again play a role as the big bodied midfielder.  Jarrad, like the three other drafted boys, represented WA in the State 18’s, playing a variety of roles.  Jarrad has been an extremely diligent, hardworking player.  He has been ultra-prepared, with an attention to detail.  His work in the gym and on all aspects of his game has seen him develop significantly, now possessing a neat kick, greater running capacity, strong hands and contested ball winning ability.  

Jarrad finished third in the East Fremantle Colt’s best and fairest in 2013, after winning the Best First Year Player in 2012.

Aliir Aliir

Drafted by: Sydney

Pick Number: 44

Position: Defender

Junior Club: Aspley (QLD)

Aliir came to East Fremantle in 2013, after playing for Aspley in Queensland.  Aliir has attracted much interest in the lead up to the draft about his background.  Aliir became the first player of Sudanese heritage to be selected at a National Draft.  Aliir lived in a Kenyan refugee camp from age three after his mother fled war-torn Sudan. His family then made the move to Australia when he was eight-years-old.  His family then moved to Queensland and it was there that Aliir first started playing football in 2009, after playing basketball throughout his junior years.  Aliir played State 18’s for Queensland in 2012, but then decided to move to WA to be closer to his family.  Although Aliir had only ever played ruck, Mark Foster and his coaching staff decided that developing Aliir as a key position player the best for his development.  As a result Aliir was selected in the WA State 18’s in 2013 as a key defender.  He also finished inside the top 5 in the Colt’s best and fairest.  Aliir has shown exceptional composure with the ball, his skills are more than neat for a man so young in football.  Aliir has good aerial skills and will no doubt flourish with the Sydney Swans, where he was taken at Pick 44, the same pick that Sydney used in 2012 to secure Harrison Marsh.

Jonathan Marsh

Drafted by: Collingwood

Pick Number: 77

Position: Forward

Junior Club: Augusta Margaret River

Jonathon came to East Fremantle for the first time at 16’s development level, under the Grandfather / Grandson rule.  His Grandfather is East Fremantle Legend and WA Football Hall of Fame Inductee Ray Sorrell.  Jonathon grew up in Margaret River and showed from that first appearance in the 16’s that he was a powerful, explosive athlete.  In 2012, Jonathon played three games of Colt’s football under permits, before heading up to Perth with the family to play Colt’s full time this year.  Again Jonathon was selected in the State 18’s team and finished inside the top ten in the East Fremantle Colt’s best and fairest. At the AFL National Combine Jonathon finished inside the top ten in repeat sprints and vertical leap, but his best result came in the 20m Sprint test, where he recorded the second fastest time of combine history, a time of 2.78sec.  Jonathon heads to the Lexus Centre, the home of the Collingwood Magpies, at Pick 77. 

Talent Pathway 

The East Fremantle Talent Pathway continues to produce some of the country’s finest footballers. With the addition of these four players, we now have 32 players on AFL lists, with the 2013 Rookie and Pre-Season drafts to follow.  The four drafted players from this 2013 draft have taken us past the 100 AFL draftee milestone, with 103 now the official figure.  East Fremantle now has players at 14 of the 18 AFL Clubs.

There were 61 live picks in yesterday’s draft and 4 were East Fremantle players. That placed the Club equal second with 3 Victorian and 2 South Australian Clubs for draftees, Sandringham Dragons led the way with 6.

The success of the East Fremantle talent pathway is testament to the hard work of the players who have been selected, the coaches and support staff who have guided and developed them along the way, the metropolitan and regional Junior Clubs who provided them with their introduction to the game and our Club which is rich with people who are passionate about providing the best environment in which players can develop.

Our Club enjoys a strong relationship with the WAFL State Academy and congratulates them on another successful National Draft for Western Australian football.