Collingwood recently signed Wil Parker, a former cricketer, as a Category B Rookie. Parker caught attention with his performance for the NAB League side Eastern Ranges (now Coates League) in 2019. Although eligible for the 2020 National AFL Draft, he paused his football career to pursue cricket. Parker, 21, debuted in first-class cricket for Victoria during the 2020 Sheffield Shield season and later played for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League.
Collingwood’s EGM Football, Graham Wright, extended a warm welcome to Wil Parker, expressing the club’s pleasure in having him join ahead of the upcoming season. Wright noted Parker’s background as a talented junior footballer who had temporarily shifted focus to cricket and has now returned to football. He highlighted Parker’s experience in an elite sporting environment, expressing confidence in his seamless integration into the program. Parker will gradually join training over the next month or two as he transitions into a full-time AFL program. Wright expressed anticipation for Parker’s contribution to the club, noting that his signing completes Collingwood’s list for the 2024 season.
