Source: Geelong Advertiser
THE work of Geelong's VFL list development will continue to bear fruit today, with three of its former pupils to play senior AFL football.
Last year's Geelong VFL best and fairest, Jason Davenport, has been named to make his AFL debut for Port Adelaide against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium tonight, after being delisted by the Cats at the end of last season.
In an opposition jumper for the Kangaroos will be defender Scott Thompson, while ruckman Shane Mumford will take on Sydney at Skilled Stadium for the Cats this afternoon.
All three were on Geelong's VFL list of just 11 players in 2006.
"It's a great achievement for all those guys and a great testament to themselves for their determination," Geelong VFL football manager Ben Waller said.
"It's great for local football, for guys from Geelong and country leagues, to show them that if you don't get an opportunity in the under-18s, that there's still a pathway to AFL football."
Thompson spent three years on Geelong's VFL list before finally rising to prominence in 2007 and being drafted by North Melbourne at the end of that season.
Davenport tried out for Geelong's VFL top-up list, before being drafted onto the AFL rookie list the following year and being promoted to the primary list at the start of last year.
Davenport was also responsible for helping bring Mumford to the club, encouraging him to try out for the Cats' VFL team.
In fact, it followed a string of word-of-mouth recruitments.
Mumford came to the club because of Davenport, who was encouraged to try out by Josh O'Brien, who in turn was at the club because of his cousins, Nathan and Gary Ablett.
"Hopefully this will encourage local players to give VFL a crack, whether it's at Geelong or Werribee or wherever, because they shouldn't give up on their dream of playing AFL footy," Waller said.
