Former Burnie Docker Ryan Gardner was one of the beneficiaries of the AFL's mid-season rookie draft on Monday with the Western Bulldogs giving the 21-year-old a second shot at life on an AFL list.
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The key-position player was selected with pick six in the draft, having been plying his trade for the Bulldogs' VFL affiliate Footscray since being delisted by Geelong at the end of last season.
Western Bulldogs' general manager of list and recruiting Sam Power said Gardner had been picked as a long-term prospect for Luke Beveridge's side.
"We've tried him at both ends of the ground (in the VFL), forward for the first few weeks (where he kicked eight goals in his first three matches) and as a defender more recently, and we have been really impressed by his athleticism and his competitiveness down there and we think he can add at both ends of the ground,'' Power said on Fox Footy.
"Our primary objective was obviously to pick a long-term player and we think Ryan can be a long-term player, but he does satisfy that (short-term) need for a key position player."
Gardner was originally picked up by the Cats with pick 59 in the 2015 national draft, and while he failed to play a senior game, was a strong performer at VFL level with 52 games in the blue and white hoops.
Gardner, originally from Smithton, was the only Tasmanian selected in the draft.
Other Tasmanians that had nominated included Brady Grey, Ethan Jackson, Jesse Lonergan, Mackenzie Willis, Mitch Hibberd, Kieran Lovell, Sam Siggins, Baxter Norton, Mitch Anderton, Nick Baker, Corey Laoumtzis and Lachlan Gadomski.
Ex-Fremantle Docker Grey and former Roo Hibberd were two of 22 players who had reportedly had a medical screening prior to the draft.
Alex Fair
Deputy Editor of The Advocate on the North-West Coast of Tasmania.
Deputy Editor of The Advocate on the North-West Coast of Tasmania.
