By JARROD POTTER
DANDENONG continued its stellar 2015 drafting spree with another Stingray joining the Australian Football League.
Following its amazing Tuesday night where six Stingrays were selected – including the number one pick Jacob Weitering by Carlton – Dandenong ruckman Gach Nyuon has fulfilled his AFL dream as he joins Essendon.
Overlooked at the National Draft, Vic Country star Nyuon was given his chance at the next level by the Bombers, who swooped on him early in the Friday’s rookie draft.
An All-Australian ruckman and TAC Cup Team of the Year recipient, Nyuon, 18, from Keysborough, will get to ply his craft at Essendon after the Bombers picked him up with the fourth pick in the rookie draft on Friday morning.
“It’s great – I’m pretty excited,” Nyuon said on Friday morning just minutes after his name was called out.
“Sort of had a rough idea and it’s a bit more of a relief I guess – it’s special.”
Gippsland Power excelled at the rookie draft, with the Gippslanders getting Tom Papley (Sydney, pick 14,) and alumnus Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (Essendon, pick 22) listed on the final draft of 2016.
Papley – grandson of former South Melbourne champion Max Papley – will follow in his family’s red-and-white footsteps next year when he makes the move from Bunyip to Sydney.
McDonald-Tipungwuti was rewarded for his time in the Essendon VFL side and given a rookie chance by the senior club after missing out at the 2012 AFL draft.
Former Gippslander Will Hams was re-listed by Essendon as a rookie to finish off the draft period for the Power.
It capped off the AFL draft season as seven Dandenong Stingrays and five Power players joined the big leagues ahead of the 2016 season.
