28 Patrick Karnezis

Choose another player Adcock, Jed - [7] Banfield, Todd - [18] Bartlett, Callum - [13] Beams, Claye - [17] Bewick, Rohan - [43] Black, Simon - [20] Brown, Jonathan - [16] Buchanan, Amon - [33] Cornelius, Aaron - [44] Crisp, Jack - [47] Docherty, Sam - [1] Drummond, Josh - [39] Golby, Mitchell - [41] Green, Joshua - [6] Hanley, Pearce - [11] Harwood, Ryan - [2] Hawksley, James - [12] Hudson, Ben - [22] Karnezis, Patrick - [28] Lester, Ryan - [35] Leuenberger, Matthew - [23] Lisle, Jordan - [19] Longer, Billy - [5] Maguire, Matt - [36] McGrath, Ashley - [9] McKeever, Niall - [40] Merrett, Daniel - [21] O'Brien, Jesse - [34] Patfull, Joel - [24] Polec, Jared - [4] Polkinghorne, James - [31] Raines, Andrew - [29] Redden, Jack - [30] Retzlaff, Bryce - [8] Rich, Daniel - [10] Rockliff, Tom - [38] Sheldon, Sam - [3] Staker, Brent - [14] Stiller, Cheynee - [32] Wearden, Patrick - [37] Yeo, Elliot - [26] Zorko, Dayne - [15]

Introduction
Patrick Karnezis is a versatile tall who has traditionally played up forward, but could also move into the midfield. He is highly skilled, reads the play well and has the ability to win his own ball. After only a short time at the Lions, he has already become a crowd favourite at the Gabba.

Background
• Karnezis played AFL since he was 11, but took five months off to play futsal and club soccer for Doncaster Rovers at U16 level before joining the Oakleigh Chargers TAC Cup side aged 15.

• Just like it did for the likes of Adam Goodes, Alan Didak and Brad Green, Karnezis believed his soccer background helped him become a more 'dangerous' footballer.

• He stopped playing futsal before Oakleigh's 2009 pre-season to concentrate on his AFL career, and quickly became one of the brightest prospects heading into the 2010 AFL National Draft.

• He represented Victoria Metro in the National U18 Championships and in eight games for the Chargers (excluding Finals) kicked 28 goals and averaged 19 disposals per game (54% of which were contested).  

• He was so highly rated, that the Lions used their second round selection (Pick No.25 overall) at the 2010 AFL National Draft to secure the services of the Marcellin College graduate.  

2011
• Karnezis spent much of his pre-season in the gym trying to bulk up his slight 80kg frame, before lining up with the Lions Reserves throughout the first half of the season.

• A 191cm swingman, Karnezis was trialled in a number of positions - and showed class beyond his years. But it was up forward where he proved most dangerous and regularly contributed bags of goals.

• In Round 13, he earned his first selection in the senior team to play Richmond at the Gabba, starting on the interchange bench as the substitute.

• But an injury to Mitch Clark activated Karnezis, who proceeded to join rare company by booting goals with each of his first kicks. He immediately had the attention of the Lions fans who had found a new cult hero.

• He held his position in the team for the remaining 11 matches and made a valuable contribution as a third tall forward - kicking goals in all but one of his matches and bagging two goals in seven of his 11 outings.  

• One of his finest performances was against eventual Premiers Geelong, when he collected a season-high 14 disposals and kicked two goals (and two behinds) as the Cats found it difficult to find a suitable match-up for the clever Victorian.   

• He was desperately unlucky not to earn an AFL Rising Star Nomination by season's end, but was ultimately recognised by the Club as the Lions' 2011 Rookie of the Year.