It was heartache for AFL Riverina’s most promising footballers on Friday as the region’s most exciting talent was overlooked in the draft.
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Coolamon’s Michael Gibbons and Mirrool’s Mitch Maguire missed out on finding an AFL home after sensational seasons at state league level.
Richmond’s decision to re-draft Jacob Townsend was the only joy for AFL Riverina.
The decision by clubs to overlook Gibbons for a sixth consecutive year angered many, including his former coach at Coolamon, Matt Hard.
“What can you say. He’s worked that hard,” Hard said.
“He plays week in, week out, against AFL listed players, lining up head to head and has played unbelievable, consistent football, taking out every award he can and he repeatedly gets overlooked.
“You’ve got to feel for the young man. It just doesn’t seem right.”
AFL’s own draft expect Cal Twomey labelled Gibbons’ omission as one of the surprises of the draft.
“A surprise in today was that, despite the influx of state-league players who got a chance, Michael Gibbons wasn't one of them even though he had a brilliant season for Williamstown,” Twomey wrote at the conclusion of the draft on the AFL website.
Gibbons won his second JJ Liston Trophy this season, for the best and fairest player in the VFL. He tied with AFL-listed player Anthony Miles, who was subsequently traded from Richmond to Gold Coast.
Five AFL clubs spoke to Gibbons in the lead up to the AFL Draft on the back of his career-best season.
Instead, clubs took a punt on three of his Williamstown teammates instead.
Gibbons told The Daily Advertiser on Wednesday that he was at the point in his life where he was not placing too much value on an AFL career.
“I’m in a good spot and mindset about it all,” Gibbons said.
“I’ve worked out that footy is not the be all end all like I thought at 18.”
Maguire, 20, was also a hard luck story after spending a week training with Sydney Swans in the lead up to the draft.
He won the NEAFL Rising Star award and Canberra Demons’ best and fairest after a breakout season.
The Swans did not select any of the three mature-aged players that had trained with them in recent weeks, opting instead for an academy product as their category B rookie.
Sam Murray was also re-drafted as a rookie by Collingwood.
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