Young Lion makes it big

Promising Wollongong Lions teenager Aidan Riley has been signed by senior AFL club the Adelaide Crows as a NSW Scholarship player for 2009. Riley, who turned 17 last December, is a 181cm midfielder who impressed Crows recruiting manager Matthew Rendell at the recent NSW-ACT under 18 state zone trials in Coffs Harbour. "Aidan stood out and impressed me with his speed, balance, agility, kicking, decision-making, and competitiveness," Rendell, a former Crows premiership player, said. Riley has an impressive resume as a member of the elite NSW-ACT Rams squad for 2009 and was part of the Sydney Swans' premiership-winning reserves last season.Shin splints restricted Riley in 2008, but he was still a member of the Rising Rams program and also played some senior games early in the season for the Wollongong Lions.Originally from Perth, the Riley family moved to Wollongong when Aidan was just seven. As a scholarship player, Riley is now eligible to be added to Adelaide's senior list at the end of 2009. The Crows have two other players on NSW scholarships in Sam Martyn, from Merimbula and Aaron Duncan from Pennant Hills. Adelaide's first scholarship signing, Taylor Walker from Broken Hill, was promoted to the senior list at the end of 2007.