ESSENDON and Port Adelaide won't nominate Tex Wanganeen as a father-son prospect at the upcoming NAB AFL Draft, but the son of champion Gavin may get an opportunity as a train-on player if overlooked next month.
Wanganeen, whose father played 127 games for the Bombers and then 173 for the Power in a glittering career, is eligible for this year's national draft but has had two seasons interrupted by COVID-19 and injury in Victoria.
He is not expected to be nominated by either of the clubs he is eligible to join as a father-son, although should he be overlooked at the national and rookie drafts by all clubs then there is likely to be an option as a train-on player over summer ahead of the pre-season supplemental selection period.
Wanganeen has had a disrupted past two seasons while boarding at Xavier College in Melbourne, with last year wiped out due to COVID-19 and again more disruptions this season.
He also injured his navicular bone in his foot earlier this season, which restricted him to just one game this year at school level in a clash he impressed in.
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Wanganeen trained with the Bombers last pre-season along with fellow father-son candidates Josh Misiti (son of Joe), Alex Hird (son of James) and Nyawi Moore (son of Nathan Lovett-Murray).
His father is one of the all-time greats, with Gavin winning the 1993 Brownlow Medal in the same year he was a crucial player in the Bombers' flag triumph before departing to join Port Adelaide as it entered the competition.
He also played in the Power's 2004 Grand Final win over Brisbane before retiring after 300 games in 2006.
