Mike Pyke - Switch To Australian Rules Football

Switch To Australian Rules Football

Injuries sustained at US Montauban saw Pyke look for a career change. A friend, Matt Woodland, convinced Pyke that he had all the attributes of an AFL great and set in motion the code switch. Pyke put together a DVD showcasing his rugby highlights which Woodland then sent onto AFL player agent Michael Quinlan from Top Dog Management. Quinlan was immediately convinced of the possibilities and after speaking with Pyke several times began dialogue with the Sydney Swans, a team known for unconventional recruitment.

After viewing Pyke's credentials, the Sydney Swans offered him a contract. On 13 August 2008, Pyke signed with the club. The Swans had exploited a new draft rule initially designed to provide a pathway for amateur Australian Rules players outside of Australia to a professional AFL career. Although there were rules in place to protect the Gaelic Athletic Association and clubs using it for the Irish experiment, the new AFL draft rule did not preclude the recruitment of talented athletes from other sports such as rugby. As a result, Pyke became the first international sportsperson in VFL/AFL history drafted from a non-Irish sport.

Pyke believed his basketball and rugby background would help him adapt to Australian rules football. With his 200 cm height and 105 kg weight, he saw himself playing as a ruckman and/or defender. Pyke was selected by the Swans as a round 4 (57th) pick in the rookie draft and added to the team's list.