Young Gun: Adrian Purtell

All the news on the Canberra Raiders NRL team, all in one place

Moderator: GH Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145096
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Young Gun: Adrian Purtell

Post by greeneyed »

From Big League for the GH:

Adrian Purtell
Canberra Raiders

Position: Wing/centre
Junior club: Albury Southern Rams
Date of birth: January 31, 1985
Height: 192cm Weight: 92kg
Career statistics: 1 game
FG Debut: Canberra V Manly, Brookvale Oval, March 11, 2006

This year was to be the final chance for young Raiders winger Adrian Purtell. After four years at the club, the 21 year old was ready to hang up his boots and "find something else to do".

However, a strong off season not beset by injury has Purtell in the Raiders line up, aiming to hang on to his spot for dear life and play a full season.

Purtell had a one year contract with the club and figured if he didn't perform this season, the decision to move on would be made for him.

But just a week into season 2006, the Raiders snared the talented youngster for a further two years.

"To know I'm here for two more years really gives me something to look forward to" he said.

"I want to stay in Canberra because it's closer to my family in Albury than Sydney. But I was looking at finding something else to do with my life; it was my fourth season at the club and I had been playing reserve grade for most of it."

Injuries kept Purtell from building a consistent season, with a number of operations hampering the Albury junior's career.

"I had an operation on my foot after my first year here, then one on my hand and then I broke my collarbone last year" he explained.

"It was frustrating, but obviously now I'm happy I stayed. I've been given first crack at the wing spot and it's up to me to push myself to stay there."

Winger Craig Frawley looms as a threat to his position when he comes back from injury, but Purtell was thankful for his chance to finally make his first grade debut.

"I was told the Friday before all the teams come out" he said of his round one appointment.

"I was so excited. I'm pretty good mates with Willie Raston who also made his debut, so we went and got some lunch after the announcement and tried to take it in. Oh, and of course, I called my mum first. She came to watch the game at Brookvale with my three sisters plus my best mate from Albury - they were so excited. I was nervous when I ran out but I quickly realised I couldn't afford to be, it was a great feeling."

Matt Elliott on Adrian Purtell: "He's a pretty skilful and talented kid and I don't think we've seen yet what he can do. He's naturally aggressive and strong, not unlike Ben Smith at Parramatta. If he can build on the platform he's laid in the first few weeks then he will be pushing for a centre position."

Back to his grassroots:

* I started playing footy when I was about five. My dad got me into it - it was something to do on the weekends. All of my mum's family tried to get me into AFL, which is pretty big in Wodonga. All my mates from there play AFL. There is actually no-one else from Albury playing in the NRL at the moment.

* I was with the Albury Southern Rams club and I played a lot of reps for Group 9 in the Riverina. I made school representative sides in the under 15s. We played against the South Coast area and from that a Southern Division team was named for the NSW Championships, but we didn't do any good at those. I was also selected for Southern Division for the country championships through the Rams when I was 16 and 17.

* I was at the Riverina Academy playing a few trials and was asked to trial for Canberra. I was accepted when I was about 17, but I didn't move there until after I finished my HSC.

* It was hard moving away from my family at first - I was a bit of a mummy's boy - but I lived with five other guys who were also from out of town, like from Queensland. That made it easier on all of us to have the support of the other guys.
Image
Post Reply