Hooper at mercy of afl draft

Lee Gaskin | 16th October 2009

UNWANTED Brisbane Lion, Ipswich's Rhan Hooper, is poised to throw himself at the mercy of the AFL pre-season draft.

Hooper was one of the 12 players yesterday delisted by the Lions, four years after being taken at pick 41 in the 2005 AFL draft.

Speaking to the QT last night, Hooper was keeping coy about his next move.

“We'll see what happens (regarding the pre-season draft), but I don't want to talk about it,” Hooper said.

Still only 21, the speedy forward pocket - with 49 goals in 48 games to his credit - has shown enough to suggest he could find a home elsewhere.

However, the biggest question mark remains over his commitment and off-field behaviour after a string of indiscretions.

Hooper walked out on the Lions for three weeks during the pre-season of 2007 due to personal issues, eventually being fined $7000 by the leadership group.

He was slugged a further $40,000 and suspended for 28 days in January this year after breaches of his playing contract.

Another possibility for Hooper could be the new Gold Coast club, who will enter the VFL next year ahead of entry into the AFL in 2011.

Joining Hooper on the outer are fellow senior players Joel Macdonald, Scott Harding, Jason Roe, Scott Clouston, Kieran King and Matthew Tyler, and rookies Daniel Dzufer, Pat Garner, Daniel Murray, Adam Spackman and Joel Tippett.

The raft of changes announced yesterday ensures coach Michael Voss will have a clean slate to begin with next year.

Brisbane were the biggest player in last week's trade week, picking up controversial Carlton Coleman Medallist Brendan Fevola, West Coast's Brent Staker, Swan Amon Buchanan, Tiger Andrew Raines and Saint Xavier Clarke.

Teenager Lachlan Henderson and out of favour midfielder Bradd Dalziell were sent to the Blues and Eagles respectively, while premiership player Tim Notting retired.