Joel Wilkinson

[TheSunGod]

DETAILS
JUMPER # 38
DOB 29.11.1991
HEIGHT 186
WEIGHT 81
FORMER CLUB Broadbeach


http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/the-team/player-profiles/joel-wilkinson/

Joel Wilkinson joined the GC SUNS as Queensland Zone Selection towards the end of the club’s VFL campaign.

A truly elite young athlete, Wilkinson captained Queensland at the 2010 Under 18 National Championships and showed plenty of potential as a hard-working running defender.

He dominated plenty of statistical categories at this year’s Draft Combine and although an AFL novice relatively – he’s played AFL for just 3 years – his extraordinary speed, stamina, agility and leadership skills are highly regarded and will hold him in good stead.

 

[TheSunGod]

Interview with Joel from Draft Camp -

[YOUTUBE]gOcKdSWGawk[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Sunny_]

Apparently stood up heaps in the 2s last week and is developing really well as a key defender. Could be up for selection soon!

 

[Sunny_]

Suns gun turns abuse in to a positive.

GOLD Coast Suns young gun Joel Wilkinson says his AFL experience of being racially abused shows the inclination to tiptoe around the topic remains widespread.

The Nigerian-born 20-year-old was racially vilified on debut last season by Western Bulldog Justin Sherman, who copped a four-match suspension after an AFL mediation process.

Wilkinson said yesterday he wanted to treat the incident as a positive and highlight an issue that `we all sometimes turn a blind eye to'.

But he found that many people assumed he was shattered or shamed by what became a high-profile case, rather than discovering his true feelings by actually asking him.

"We felt it was so touchy, it just sort of showed how we perceive it," Wilkinson said at an AFL launch in Melbourne yesterday, where he was named a multicultural ambassador.

"Why not just ask more questions?

"I still see that now.

"I'm not embarrassed at all. I'm not ashamed about what occurred.

"I feel proud that I'm able to speak up for a lot of people, youngsters, even young adults, adults, you still see it occur.

"That's something that highlighted to me and showed to me, we still don't feel comfortable approaching delicate situations."

Wilkinson said his advice to victims of racism was that they should know most Australians were on their side.

But he said it would help if those around them treated such issues like any other sort of personal problem.

"There was a lot of assumptions about how I was feeling, but more questions need to be asked," Wilkinson said.

"That's the big thing.

"If kids are unhappy at home, I guess coaches feel inclined to go ask that kid 'How are you feeling at home'.

"But when it comes to racial segregation, I guess we feel a bit like it's touchy.

"But at the end of the day, it's no different.

"If someone's struggling, you need to provide that support."

 

[Sunny_]

Really good on Wilko. Seems to be really taking this opportunity by the scruff of the neck.

 

[Thermo]

[youtube]UHkvWTboVLE[/youtube]

 

[Matchu]

I know Joel is no longer at the club but people should check this video out:



I saw the same video on the Suns website but it didn't work when I tried to watch it for whatever reason. It's a social issue that we're facing in Australia and it's going to take someone like Joel or Adam Goodes speaking out about it for change to slowly start. It's a brave move from Joel and he's an intelligent guy who can express his feelings in a calculated way. I knew Joel when we were a bit younger and it never entered my mind until I got a bit older that he would be subjected to so much discrimination. You can tell from the video that it's really affected his upbringing. I have huge respect for him.