#10 Travis Boak

[blackdiamond]

#10 Travis Boak, drafted by Bresh and also allocated to Capital Power for the 2008 season.

http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v153/66/63/668067098/n668067098_269198_8016.jpg

Height: 183

Weight: 79

Date of Birth: 1st August 1988

Nickname: Boak

Contract Details: Expires end of 2008

Position: Midfielder

SANFL Club: Glenelg

Recruited From: Geelong U18 (Pick 5 in the 2006 National Draft)

Career Games: 14 (11 wins, 3 losses)

Career Goals: 4

Honours:
2007 AFL Rising Star Nominee

For more career stats click here (http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/T/Travis_Boak.html).


2007 Statistics

Games: 14

Goals: 4

Kicks: 101

Marks: 51

Handballs: 124


More info on Travis Boak

An inside player with goodish pace. Not express but quick enough. Very clean handler of the ball in contested situations where he is composed and very hard at the football. Good mark for his fairly small size and throws himself in despite his slight frame. Pretty versatile and can play down back as a rebounding small defender.

He was initially a surprise pick by many who follow the Power, deciding to draft Boak at pick number 5 in the 2006 AFL Draft and was recruited from the Geelong Falcons, and at the time, the equal lowest pick taken in Port Adelaide's AFL history.

On June 17, 2007 Boak made his AFL debut in Round 12, 2007, in the Power's 31 point victory over Essendon.

In Round 19 against the Carlton Blues on August 11, 2007 Boak played a career best game and gathered 28 disposals and kicked 2 goals in the Power's 23 points win. His performance was awarded with an AFL Rising Star nomination for that round.

Boak also played in the losing 2006 Grand Final.

[Ford Fairlane]

Blooming Boak


Boak blooms in a welcoming Port (http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/sport/afl/story/0,26547,23340918-5014673,00.html)

Jesper Fjeldstad |
Sunday Mail
March 08, 2008 11:30pm

HE'S had to deal with homesickness, the grief of losing his father and the battle to play in the AFL.

And Travis Boak is only just 19.

It has been a brief but remarkable journey for the Victorian, who has been earmarked for a future leadership and midfield role club at Port Adelaide.

Since his debut in Round 12 last season, he has been one of several first-year players to impress by finding regular game time.

"When I sat down at the beginning of the year, I definitely didn't expect to play 14 games and play in a Grand Final," he said.

He credits the biggest influence on his career as his father, Roger, who died of cancer at 48 the year before the young man was drafted.

Boak, whose mother, Chicki, travels from Jan Juc to watch every Port Adelaide game, profoundly feel his father's presence in the rooms before every game.

"I have a picture next to my bed with me and my dad," he said. "We hold up a premiership cup and we're in the under-14s -- he was coach and I was captain.

"I sort of always talk to him before every game and I always feel like he's there. When I run out, he's always there, guiding me and helping me."

Roger, another one with pace and skinny legs, was royalty at the Torquay Tigers, where he was jokingly called "Dial-A-Goal" for his feats up forward and playing pivotal roles in premierships.

The Boak legacy lives on -- in a different state, a different competition but the same game.

Chicki says she is so proud that tears well up in her eyes every time her son runs through a banner.

"Last year we probably weren't going into the season with too much expectation," Boak said.

"This year we're obviously looking at taking it one step further, but we're still young and still developing.

"I think we're a lot closer as a group. Obviously myself, Robbie Gray, Justin Westhoff and Nathan Krakouer . . . we all played a fair few games last year and it was great to see. But we're obviously looking to improve on that this year."

He said his 2007 had been helped by the other first-year players.

"Just being part of a young group going through it together makes it so much easier," Boak said. "We can bounce ideas off each other and talk about things."

He speaks highly of Port Adelaide and how the club helped him settle.

"Leaving my Mum and my sisters was pretty tough, but the club was fantastic," he said.

"They flew Mum and the girls over and they found them a place to stay regularly until I settled in with my host family.

"And they've been fantastic for me -- always there for me -- and also the players at the club."

There was also the guidance from Steven Salopek, who had been in a similar situation a few years earlier when he crossed from Victoria soon after his mother was killed in a car accident.

"Steve came over in a similar situation and I stayed with him for a little bit," Boak said.

"He talked to me what he went through when he came over and how the club helped him.

"They've just been so welcoming and that's made it so much easier. So it didn't take too long to settle in.

"Mum didn't miss a game last year when I first started playing and my sisters came over a bit. One (Sarah) is 21 and doing school and the other one (Cassie) is 16 and has just started year 10, so she's busy with that. But they come over as often as they can.

"Mum rings me every day and I call her if I miss her call. We usually talk nearly every day, just to catch up on things. Mum wants to know what's going on around the club as well."

[i_love_the_hoff]

Blooming Boak


emotional story :(

[TDub23]

How will he go DT wise this year? i am looking for a midfielder under 290 k and am serioulsy considering him, good idea?