FROM Sydney to Melbourne via Adelaide.
Defender Luke Parks will call Ikon Park home in 2021 after being selected by Carlton with pick No.8 in the 2021 NAB AFL Rookie Draft.
A former member of the Sydney Swans academy, Parks relocated to South Australia in 2020 with the hope of giving himself every opportunity to get his chance on an AFL list.
At 19 years of age, Parks starred for Glenelg in a defensive role, playing all 15 games for the season in a team which went on to play finals football.
Standing at 192 centimetres, Parks’ aerial prowess is his main attribute: he averaged over six marks per game in the state league competition, while taking 24 contested marks over the course of the year.
His relocation to Glenelg has clearly been one which has paid off, with Parks officially becoming a Blue on Wednesday night.
Carlton’s Head of List Management Nick Austin said Parks ticked a number of boxes when it came to the Blues’ list strategy.
“We’ve been really open about the need to add to our defensive depth and Luke offers exactly that,” Austin said.
“What we loved about Luke is how driven he was to reach the elite level. He decided that moving states to South Australia would be the best thing for his footy, which is a sign of his commitment to his craft and the proof is there for all to see now.
“He’s got elite hands and he’s a really good reader of the play. He played every game for Glenelg this year in a pretty good team and it’s easy to forget that he’s just 19 years of age with a lot of room to grow.
“We’re thrilled that we were able to bring Luke to our football club and we can’t wait to see what he can do in the Navy Blue jumper.”
