Power Add To List
The Power has added two experienced faces to its list via the pre-season and rookie drafts.
Harding, 23, played 15 games for the Brisbane Lions this season, taking his total games to 48. The Power invited Harding to train on Monday, and despite being limited to light duties with a foot injury, impressed the club’s coaching staff enough to be taken with the Power’s only pre-season draft pick.
Cloke, 24, joins his third AFL club after stints with Collingwood and Carlton. The ruckman/key forward has played 57 games, including 20 of a possible 22 in 2008 when he had his most consistent year, shouldering much of the ruck work for the Blues.
General Manager - Football Operations Peter Rohde said with so much youth on the Power’s list, Harding and Cloke’s AFL experience would be a welcome addition.
“We think they can certainly fill a need for us,” Rohde said. “Harding played a lot of AFL this year and will add some experience through the midfield and up forward.
“Cloke is another who can help out in the ruck or play as a key forward. He’s a big body and will be able to step up when required.”
Having already committed to international rookie Daniel Bass and NSW Scholarship rookie Jordan Johns, the Power used its three remaining rookie selections to take small forward Cameron Hitchcock (19) from Glenelg, key position player Daniel Webb (20) from West Adelaide and re-draft forward Glenn Dawson.
“Hitchcock is a clever forward with great pace who kicked 80 goals in the reserves for Glenelg during 2009. Webb is a key position player who can take a good mark. We actually looked at him last year, but after a solid second half to this season, we decided to take him as a rookie.”