ILES JOINS GOLD COAST
Tuesday, 15 December 2009

The Box Hill Hawks Football Club congratulates 2009 Col Austen Trophy Winner, Sam Iles, on being selected by Gold Coast with Pick 3 at today's AFL Rookie Draft.

Iles, who made an immediate impact upon signing with the Hawks, played in all but one of the Hawks games during the 2009 VFL Season.

He not only claimed the club's Best & Fairest Award, but he polled 15 votes at the VFL's J.J. Liston Medal to finish equal 3rd and was also named in the VFL's Team of the Year alongside teammates Steve Kenna and Cameron Pedersen.

Whilst it is sad he will not be a part of Box Hill in 2010, the club is delighted to have played its part to give him every opportunity of achieving his dream of playing AFL football again.

Following on from Lukas Markovic who was taken by the Western Bulldogs at last week's National Draft, Iles becomes the 17th Box Hill Hawks player since the alignment was formed in 2000 to be drafted or rookied to the AFL joining the likes of fellow Box Hill draftees Sam Mitchell (2001), Michael Firrito (2003), Simon Taylor (2004) and Ben McGlynn (2006).

On behalf of everybody at the club, we wish Sam all the best in 2010!