Yet to make his debut, the former Geelong Falcon had his first season wrecked by a hip injury that required surgery.
Flannagan has worked hard to build his body up and, with his good skill set off a wing or half-back, has the ability to push for senior selection in 2012.
A gifted utility, Piers Flanagan joined the GC SUNS as an underage priority pick at the beginning of 2010.
A natural athlete with a prodigious left foot who bears a striking similarity to St Kilda’s Brendon Goddard in both physical appearance and playing style, Flanagan is a silky disposer of the ball by hand and foot and a tenacious competitor.
He showed tremendous skill and poise as a tall midfielder during his junior playing days at Geelong College and in the Geelong Falcons junior development program. Although injury robbed Flanagan of the chance to play for Vic Country at the 2009 National Championships, his prodigious talent didn’t escape the eye of GC SUNS recruiters.
Nor did they escape the eyes of AIS/AFL Academy selectors who invited Flanagan to join its tour of South Africa in April 2010.
Flanagan was used predominantly as a back flanker during the club’s inaugural VFL season.
Draft history: 2010 17-year-old access selection (Gold Coast).
