#40 Luke Lavender - NewLAV!

Screw being a fan lad… you’re now a playa!!!

Now if we can just pick up Tall Poppy and Daisy Chain we might have an elite Flower Power group of on-ballers!

4 Likes

“can’t bowl, can’t throw” but can kick and can mark!

4 Likes

Wonder how this will effect the position on McKernan or Draper.

I wouldn’t be losing Sammy, after his development this year. Could well spell the end for Smack.

What a load of dribble.

6 Likes

I’ll take that charge.

If we ever get the chance to play against the Australian cricket team again (back in 2003 ish we played 10 overs against Australia when Orange was a sponsor for both teams), we’ll have a couple of decent cricketers at least.

Listening to that podcast your young fella sounds like a good grounded young man @S_K

1 Like

@S_K Congrats to you and your son! I am sure this is a dream come true from you and I hope that it will get even better!

I am also sure that he could get a lot of free advice from Blitz experts. :wink:

I will be looking forward to his career and wish him all the best!

3 Likes

I can be as harsh on a player as any, but it never leaves my mind that we are comparing the elite from the elite.

No matter how many games played, to be picked for an AFL list is a great achievement and one that Luke, and the whole family, should be proud of for an entire lifetime.

Of course, like all good goals, now you will just pick another mountain top to climb and keep on at it.

Good luck Luke and S_K!

6 Likes

Canny signing by the Club. I trust the lad develops out of sight and enjoys a long and successful career at Bomberland. Congrats, @S_K to both you and Luke.

@Koala Can I nominate Luke for a Blitz sponsorship?

3 Likes

Why hasn’t he debuted yet? Serious question marks over this guy IMHO

3 Likes

Agree! Should be traded somewhere for someone (don’t trade him back to Adelaide though, have big plans for his bedroom!)

31 Likes

2 Likes

Former Adelaide cricketer turned Essendon rookie Luke Lavender. Picture: Supplied.

Former Adelaide pace bowler Luke Lavender joins Essendon as a category B rookie – a year after quitting Grade Cricket

Matt Turner, The Advertiser
October 16, 2017 6:26pm
Subscriber only

LUKE Lavender has not played a football game since 2014 and was a lanky seam bowler for Adelaide Cricket Club until September last year.

But now the 21 year old is preparing for pre-season with the AFL club he has grown up supporting, after joining Essendon as a category B rookie last week.

The pathway is open to players from other sports who have not registered in an Aussie rules competition for at least three years.

Lavender was unaware of it until early 2016, when former cricket teammate Matthew Nobes told the 202cm opening bowler he had the physical attributes to make the code switch.

“I was a genuine number 11 so I was always running water to the batsmen,” Lavender, of Colonel Light Gardens, says.

“Nobesy was sitting on the sidelines watching me run water and said ‘you’re pretty quick, you’re tall – why aren’t you playing footy?’

“As a kid, I looked at footy players and never thought I was an athlete of that sort of standard.

“I’m a Bombers supporter and my family is all Bombers supporters. Walking around the house, it’s all covered in red and black merchandise.

“(Joining Essendon) hit me pretty hard and I was pretty stoked, but my family even more so.”

The transition to football gained steam when Nobes put Lavender in touch with player manager Nick Ramsey, who passed on his fitness testing results to several interested clubs.

Lavender stopped playing cricket 12 months ago to avoid an injury jeopardising his AFL prospects and instead undertook pre-season with Glenelg Football Club’s seniors.

Essendon indicated to Lavender earlier this year that it wanted him and the club made it official last week.

“I had to wait for the media release to come out then it hit home and became pretty real.

“I still can’t believe that this is happening.”

Lavender played his first A-grade game for Glandore-based Adelaide Cricket Club at 16.

His junior football stints were at Edwardstown, West Adelaide and Goodwood.

“I’ve always loved football and loved playing it but there was always more opportunity down the cricket way.

“I haven’t played in three years and I’m just chewing at the bit to get out on the footy field.”

Lavender knows he has a long way to go just to make the Bombers’ senior list, let alone play an AFL game.

But he takes comfort from Crows duo Hugh Greenwood and Alex Keath, and Geelong’s Mark Blicavs going from category B rookies to playing regularly at the elite level.

“Coming from where I am to playing an AFL game would be absolutely incredible and I’m looking forward to trying to do it.”

18 Likes

Ha, second paragraph of that article is a fine example of jumping to conclusions (well, I hope so).

1 Like

Wasn’t McNiece a Cat B rookie? Does that mean he will have be upgraded to the senior list now? Won’t be many kids drafted this year.

Family member of a Blitz member is on Essendon’s list

4 Likes