Paul Wheatley is a former Australian rules football

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...

 (AFL).

A Preston Knights

Northern Knights

The Northern Knights are an Australian rules football club playing in the TAC Cup, an under-18 competition in Victoria, Australia. They are based in Preston, representing the northern suburban area of Melbourne....

 recruit, Wheatley made his debut for the Melbourne Football Club

Melbourne Football Club

The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....

 in 2000, after being selected at number 20 in the 1999 AFL Draft

1999 AFL Draft

The 1999 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.In 1999 there...

.

Wheatley is known for his prodigious kicking, with his ability to pinpoint 60 metre passes using the drop punt. He is also known to be able to kick long distance torpedo punt

Torpedo punt

The torpedo punt, similar to a punt in American Football, is a kicking technique implemented in Rugby League, Rugby Union and Australian rules football to enhance the distance the ball is kicked....

s, which led to speculation that he might try out as an American football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 punter. Paul polled two votes this year in the Brownlow

Brownlow Medal

The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...

, a career high and his first career votes. He has the record in the NAB Cup with the most goals scored outside of 50 m.

Wheatley announced his retirement from the game and played his last match against St Kilda with Matthew Whelan

Matthew Whelan

Matthew Whelan is a former professional Australian rules football player.Wearing the number 45 jersey, Whelan was reliable defender/back pocket known by Demons fans simply as the "Wheels". He also earned the nickname "Wrecker" for his big hits and tough and uncompromisingly defensive style of...

. Wheatley has played 135 games and kicked 34 goals. Wheatley stated that he intends to nominate for the pre-season draft and failing being picked up by another club will seek a trial in the NFL

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

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External links

• Paul Wheatley Profile