Albany players make their mark in the AFL

The careers of two of Albany’s promising football exports remain secure with Collingwood’s Marley Williams and Hawthorn’s Angus Litherland set to be given further opportunities in 2013.

Former North Albany colt Williams was rewarded for a promising first season when he was elevated to Collingwood’s senior list last week, while former Royals colt Litherland re-signed with the Hawks.

Nineteen-year-old Williams played six games in his debut year after beginning on the club’s rookie list when he was drafted last season at pick 35 in the rookie draft.

Williams impressed coach Nathan Buckley before dislocating a shoulder, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season after surgery.

He expects to be right for the beginning of 2013.

Litherland will be aiming to make his debut for Hawthorn next season.

Litherland, who was taken by the Hawks with pick 55 in the 2010 national draft, will move into his third season with the club after working back from an injury-interrupted start to his career.

The Albany-born defender, who also lived in Ongerup, seriously injured his foot after debuting in the NAB Cup in 2011.

Hawthorn general manager football operations Mark Evans said Litherland had shown in his two seasons at the club he had the ability to slot into the senior side when the opportunity presents.

“He’s been in the system now for two years and has developed a lot more strength in the way he plays his game,” Evans told hawthornfc.com.au last week.

“He’s still progressing in the system and if he can have a good summer and play consistent footy at VFL level then his next step would be to push into the AFL team.”

Evans said the rebounding defender had impressed the coaching staff with his ferocious attack on the ball.

“His strengths as player is that he’s quite competitive, he said.

“When he played in the NAB Cup in his first year he showed it didn’t faze him to be playing at the level at all. He’ll just be looking for an opportunity to kick-start his AFL games tally and go from there.”