{"id":384933,"date":"2024-04-15T06:38:12","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T06:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=384933"},"modified":"2024-04-15T08:03:19","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T08:03:19","slug":"bbl-bowler-poised-for-afl-switch-as-clubs-line-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=384933","title":{"rendered":"BBL bowler poised for AFL switch as clubs line up"},"content":{"rendered":"

AFL<\/a> clubs are lining up to meet with former professional cricketer Zak Evans, who is keen to explore a career in football.<\/p>\n

Evans, who represented Victoria at Sheffield Shield<\/a> level and the Melbourne Renegades<\/a>, was a state contracted fast bowler between 2017 and 2023.<\/p>\n

9News Melbourne understands the 24-year-old has now made the decision to consider a code switch and will begin meeting with clubs in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong>Selfless Latrell act needed to save coach's skin<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong>'Move on': Slater puts heat back on Souths chiefs<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong>Cambage ripped as 'clown behaviour' leads to ejection<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Gold Coast<\/a>, Geelong<\/a> and St Kilda<\/a> are among the teams who are interested, with many more set to throw their hat in the ring.<\/p>\n

\"Renegades<\/p>\n

Evans is seen as a running defender and on-baller with a ready-made physique for the top level. He can be selected as a Category B rookie because he hasn't played any competitive football for more than three years.<\/p>\n

He hasn't strapped on the boots since his last year at Xavier College in 2018, where he played alongside Bailey Smith<\/a> and against Riley West, James Rowbottom, Toby Bedford and the King twins.<\/p>\n

Recruiters were keen on him at the time, but he was already contracted with Victoria and committed to cricket.<\/p>\n

These same recruiters believe he would slot in seamlessly to a professional system.<\/p>\n

Category B rookies are paid outside the salary cap and can be placed on AFL lists at any time of the year.<\/p>\n

Mark Blicavs, Jack Buckley, and Mason Cox are examples of current players who were drafted via the Category B route.<\/p>\n

\"Mark<\/p>\n

Evans played 10 Big Bash League<\/a> matches for the Renegades, with best figures of 5 for 33.<\/p>\n

In 2023 he represented Essex at County 2nd XI level.<\/p>\n

Evans' likely defection to football follows Will Parker's arrival at Collingwood as a Category B rookie in February.<\/p>\n

Before Parker, Alex Keath was the most recent first class cricketer to sign on with an AFL club.<\/p>\n

Clubs have long been keen on convincing former top teen Will Sutherland across to football, but Victoria's Sheffield Shield captain is contracted and debuted for Australia earlier this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AFL clubs are lining up to meet with former professional cricketer Zak Evans, who is keen to explore a career in football. Evans, who represented […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":384935,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384933"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=384933"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384933\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":384938,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384933\/revisions\/384938"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/384935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=384933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=384933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=384933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}