Ranga Ediriwickrama
Encyclopedia
Ranga Ediriwickrama is a former rookie list
ed Australian rules football
er for the Geelong Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL). He was a midfielder who was recruited to the club under the New South Wales scholarship program before being delisted at the end of 2010 .
and moved to the Sydney suburb of Pennant Hills
when he was three with his parents, who were born in Sri Lanka. He played soccer until he was twelve, then switched to Australian Rules, winning three premierships with Westbrook JAFC.
in 2007 and 2008, and captained the team to fourth place in 2008. He was also called up for two reserves games for the Sydney Swans
in 2007, and won a premiership with Pennant Hills in the New South Wales Premier league in 2008.
After "dominating" the Under 16 carnival, Ediriwickrama was selected by Geelong in June 2007 under the New South Wales scholarship program, an initiative to promote Australian Rules in New South Wales. Under this scheme Geelong used their last pick in the 2008 rookie draft to recruit him. Until gaining the scholarship his main interest had been cricket He could have nominated for the senior draft
but chose not to, and allow Geelong to draft him,.
According to Geelong's recruiting manager Stephen Wells he has excellent speed and ball handling skills, needed to work on his kicking, and that he has a great desire to improve. If he played a senior game he would have become the first AFL player of Sri Lankan descent.. He was delisted at the end of 2010 after failing to play a senior game
Rookie list
The Rookie List is a means for Australian Football League clubs to maintain additional players outside of the 38-man primary or senior list. Rookie listed players are not eligibile to play in AFL home and away or finals matches unless they are elevated to the senior list, either to replace a...
ed Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er for the Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL). He was a midfielder who was recruited to the club under the New South Wales scholarship program before being delisted at the end of 2010 .
Early life
Ediriwickrama was born in GriffithGriffith, New South Wales
Griffith is a city in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It is also the seat of the City of Griffith local government area. Like the Australian capital, Canberra and the nearby town of Leeton, Griffith was designed by Walter Burley Griffin. Griffith was named after Sir Arthur Griffith the...
and moved to the Sydney suburb of Pennant Hills
Pennant Hills, New South Wales
Pennant Hills is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Pennant Hills is located 25 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Hornsby Shire...
when he was three with his parents, who were born in Sri Lanka. He played soccer until he was twelve, then switched to Australian Rules, winning three premierships with Westbrook JAFC.
Playing career
Ediriwickrama played for the NSW/ACT RamsNSW/ACT Rams
The NSW/ACT Rams were an under 18 Australian rules football representative club in the TAC Cup.The team, under the guidance of AFL NSW/ACT represented New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and had the moniker of the Ram, partly derived as an acronym from Riverina, ACT, Murrumbidgee...
in 2007 and 2008, and captained the team to fourth place in 2008. He was also called up for two reserves games for the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
in 2007, and won a premiership with Pennant Hills in the New South Wales Premier league in 2008.
After "dominating" the Under 16 carnival, Ediriwickrama was selected by Geelong in June 2007 under the New South Wales scholarship program, an initiative to promote Australian Rules in New South Wales. Under this scheme Geelong used their last pick in the 2008 rookie draft to recruit him. Until gaining the scholarship his main interest had been cricket He could have nominated for the senior draft
2008 AFL Draft
The 2008 AFL Draft consisted of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2008/09 Australian Football League off-season. These were Trade Week , the National Draft , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft...
but chose not to, and allow Geelong to draft him,.
According to Geelong's recruiting manager Stephen Wells he has excellent speed and ball handling skills, needed to work on his kicking, and that he has a great desire to improve. If he played a senior game he would have become the first AFL player of Sri Lankan descent.. He was delisted at the end of 2010 after failing to play a senior game