Blake Bray
Encyclopedia
Blake Bray is an Australian rules football
er in the Australian Football League
.
, Bray grew up primarily in a rugby league environment. He began to play Australian rules football as a junior, and typically played as a key position forward. One of the most talented young players in New South Wales at the time, Bray was playing senior football for the Western Suburbs
in the Sydney AFL
at the age of 15.
In 2008, with Bray still aged 15, the Carlton Football Club
signed Bray under the New South Wales Player Scholarship Program. When the scholarship period ended at the end of 2010, Carlton elected to elevate Bray onto its rookie list.Because Bray was Carlton's scholarship player, Carlton was able to automatically add Bray to its rookie list without the need for him to be formally drafted (i.e. he was not available for other teams to select). Nevertheless, as a formality, Bray is recorded as having been drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 AFL Rookie Draft
. He was given guernsey #48.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
.
Background
From Tahmoor, New South WalesTahmoor, New South Wales
Tahmoor is a small town in the Macarthur Region of New South Wales, Australia, in Wollondilly Shire.-History:Tahmoor is in the lands of the Tharawal and Gundungurra peoples....
, Bray grew up primarily in a rugby league environment. He began to play Australian rules football as a junior, and typically played as a key position forward. One of the most talented young players in New South Wales at the time, Bray was playing senior football for the Western Suburbs
Western Suburbs Magpies AFC
Western Suburbs Australian Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Sydney AFL league. The club is based in the inner west of Sydney, New South Wales, and its senior teams played their home games at Henson Park in 2009 and 2010 but will return to their spiritual home of...
in the Sydney AFL
Sydney AFL
The "AFL Sydney" is an Australian rules football League, based in metropolitan Sydney, Australia.The AFL Sydney competition comprises 21 clubs playing across 5 senior divisions with 2 under 18 competitions.-History:...
at the age of 15.
In 2008, with Bray still aged 15, the Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
signed Bray under the New South Wales Player Scholarship Program. When the scholarship period ended at the end of 2010, Carlton elected to elevate Bray onto its rookie list.Because Bray was Carlton's scholarship player, Carlton was able to automatically add Bray to its rookie list without the need for him to be formally drafted (i.e. he was not available for other teams to select). Nevertheless, as a formality, Bray is recorded as having been drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 AFL Rookie Draft
2010 AFL Draft
The 2010 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2010/11 Australian Football League off-season. These are the Trade Week; held between , the National Draft; held on the , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft .This is the first national draft to feature the...
. He was given guernsey #48.