It’s been a big week at Salesian, with our Year 12 student Riley Collier-Dawkins picked by Richmond last night in the 2018 AFL draft!
Standing tall at 193cm, Richmond FC recognised Riley as a “wonderful addition to our midfield mix, bringing a unique skill-set of size and power.” Guided by Salesian College Advisory Board member and former test cricketer Bryce McGain, Riley cemented his status as a young up-and-comer to watch at the recent TAC Cup Grand Final, having excelled consistently in the Oakleigh Chargers’ finals season.
Riley is thankful to those who have supported him as a player. “I am grateful for my parents, who always look after me and ensure that I am taken care of away from the field, allowing me to do my best on the field. My coach, Leigh Clark, has also been instrumental in my development. He has always encouraged me to demonstrate my talents and abilities within the Oakland Charger team. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
“Salesian has also assisted in my development as an athlete. My teachers have always been supportive and understanding of my workload when things got busy for me. I train three nights of the week with my team, but I also like to train two additional nights individually. This time commitment is pretty full on, and I have appreciated having teachers who are able to assist me in maintaining a balance between football and other parts of my life.”
Riley reflected at the draft, “as long as you apply yourself, you can do anything. I grew up with great morals and got taught great lessons.”
With our 2018 Summer Griffin fresh off the press, read more about Riley’s journey via Issu.
Update:
Riley recently completed his schooling and was part of the Salesian College Chadstone graduating class of 2018. Read about the achievements and VCE successes of other Salesian students on our VCE Highlights page, including an interview with our 2018 DUX student Anthony Sirait who attained an ATAR of 99.6; putting him in the top 0.4% of all Year 12 students in the state.
