It’s from amateur footy to the AFL in four years for West Adelaide’s Chris Burgess
FOUR years after playing division two amateur league football, South Australian Chris Burgess will get to play out his AFL dream after Gold Coast signed the classy West Adelaide utility as a special assistance player.
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FOUR years after playing division two amateur league football, South Australian Chris Burgess has realised his AFL dream.
The classy West Adelaide utility has been signed by Gold Coast as a special assistance player.
Just hours after Geelong traded with Carlton to secure South Adelaide’s Nathan Kreuger under the AFL’s new rule, Burgess was on Monday selected by the Suns, along with Werribee key forward Josh Corbett.
The signing completes a remarkable rise for Burgess, who was cut from his SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens at age 14 and did not find his way back onto a SANFL list until he attended a “come and try’’ session with the Bloods at 18 and caught the eye of then West coach Mark Mickan.
“I’m absolutely rapt that Chris has got his AFL chance,’’ Bloods football manager Andrew Marks told The Advertiser.
“It’s just a great story and shows that you should never give up on your AFL dreams and that you don't always have to follow the normal AFL pathway to get there.
“Chris will do really well in the AFL system because he’s very versatile and can play various roles — forward, back or on the wing.’’
Burgess, like Kreuger, had been invited to test in front of scouts from all 18 AFL clubs at the SA Draft Combine on Saturday.
Now the 22-year-old won’t have to worry.
A nice size at 194cm and possessing strong hands and an elite kick, Burgess made his league debut for West in 2016 and has played 47 SANFL games and kicked 24 goals.
Prior to being picked by the Suns, Burgess described AFL interest in him as “pretty cool’’.
“To get drafted would be a dream come true and mean all the hard work has paid off,’’ he said
Former Crow and Lion Mickan, who coached West to the 2015 premiership, described Burgess’s rise as “one of the best stories in my time in footy’’.