AFL secures Wesley’s best
AFL football clubs Essendon and Collingwood have secured some of the best Wesley talent in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft.
Two Wesley footballers have been picked in the AFL rookie draft. Patrick Voss, our Firsts footy captain and Year 12 boarder, will join Essendon as pick number 9. Collingwood secures, via pick number 2, defender Charlie Dean (OW2019) and former School Captain of the St Kilda Road Campus.
Patrick led our Firsts with ferocity and integrity this season, and as he concludes his time at Wesley College we’re thrilled that he has such a promising start ahead of him. Growing up in Wagga Wagga in NSW, Patrick moved to Melbourne to board at Wesley College in the Learning in Residence program two years ago. Since then, he has had opportunities to play in the top junior football leagues in the state and played games for the Oakleigh Chargers in the NAB League, the top state-wide under-18 competition.
Patrick played in Wesley’s starting 18 for the Firsts and has made a significant contribution to games all year in the highly competitive APS competition. At Wesley, Patrick has enjoyed the support of a fine roster of expert coaching staff including Head of Football at Wesley College, Brent Thiele, who is also Player Development Manager at the AFL’s North Melbourne Football Club; former AFL player Steven King, who is also the current Midfield Coach for the Western Bulldogs; and Justin Wenke, a highly experienced Under 18s Coach in the TAC Cup.
Charlie was the winner this year of the 2021 Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal, the award given to the best young player in the VFL. The past 14 winners have gone on to be drafted, but at the time Charlie was still patiently reviewing his options, with another season at his VFL club, the Williamstown Seagulls, a good possible outcome. The standout defender was named Player’s Player and most promising player at the end of this season for Williamstown. Imagine his delight when he was pick number 2 for Collingwood! This chance to play in the AFL is a ‘dream’ for Charlie.
Over the more than 100-year history of footy at Wesley, the program has helped to produce standout players including AFL players Toby Greene (GWS), Fremantle’s Adam Cerra and Hawthorn’s Sam Frost. Patrick and Charlie are in good company.
