Former North Ballarat Rooster edges towards AFL debut

By David Brehaut and Pat Nolan
Updated November 2 2012 - 6:08pm, first published November 1 2011 - 1:23pm

STEVE Clifton’s dream to play AFL football is one step closer to reality after he was officially promoted to the Greater Western Sydney senior list.The former North Ballarat Roosters best and fairest winner has been promoted from the rookie list, after spending a season playing with GWS in the newly formed North East Australian Football League.Although he had a solid season as a rookie, Clifton was worried an ankle injury towards the end of the season might have affected his chances of promotion.“It’s always been a dream of mine to be an AFL footballer and I’m absolutely stoked it has finally come true,” he said.“I hurt my ankle and was out for about seven weeks but it is fully healed now.”He and Jonathon Giles were the two rookies to be promoted to the GWS senior list.Clifton said the year he had already spent at the club would serve as a huge benefit to his game.“In terms of knowing the game-plan it makes for a real advantage and I know the coaches and a lot of the players well already,” he said.Although there are still about 15 players to be drafted by the Giants at the AFL National Draft on November 24, Clifton said the current batch of players had gelled well.He met star recruit and former number-one draft pick Tom Scully yesterday and has already spent a year playing with former rugby league legend Israel Folau.“Now I can knuckle down and focus on pre-season and be ready for round one. My body feels the best it ever has heading into a pre-season,” he said.The 24-year-old joins former North Ballarat Rebels players Kurt Aylett and Jeremy Cameron on the AFL’s newest senior list.GWS secured Aylett and Cameron midway through last year before playing out the season with the Rebels.From Leeton, Aylett, 19, signed a four-year deal with the Giants.He was recruited under a rule which allows GWS to pick 16 youngsters from southern New South Wales over a four-year period until 2013.Aylett spent two years as a board at Ballarat Clarendon College, representing NSW/ACT in the national under-18 championships.Cameron, 18, is from Dartmoor in the Western District and was signed late last year.GWS picked up Cameron under a rule which last year allowed them to recruit twelve 17-year-olds.• MEANWHILE, Melton youngster and Western Jets captain Adam Walker is the latest Greater Western Sydney recruit.Under the GWS list establishment rules, the Giants were able to secure Kennedy a a player who have previously nominated for the AFL draft.Kennedy is a 19-year-old midfielder.

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