Victorian all-rounder Will Sutherland is understood to be gaining interest from AFL clubs five years after the 22-year-old decided not to pursue a career with the Sherrin.
The 18-time first-class representative was once touted as a potential first-round selection for the 2017 National Draft, however eventually opted to sign a multi-year rookie deal with Cricket Victoria.
"This was an incredibly tough decision," Sutherland said at the time.
"Most of the advice that I received was to just follow my passion. That sounds easy enough, but not so much when my passion is for both sports.
"I really loved my experience in the recent Under-18 National Championships when representing Vic Metro and this only made the decision more difficult. When it came down to it, my love and passion for the game of cricket just won out.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed representing my state and country in the under-age ranks and the prospect of potentially being able to continue this at the senior level is very much my dream."
According to SEN's Sam Edmund, AFL powerhouse Collingwood are among the clubs having shown interest in Sutherland's services as a footballer, with the Renegades youngster framing as an exciting tall forward throughout his junior career.
Sutherland was selected into the Vic Metro squad in 2017 before deciding on cricket over football.
The son of former Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland, Will is understood to be keeping his priorities placed toward cricket as he eyes a course on track for national selection.
Sutherland has shown plenty of promise across his stints with Victoria and the Renegades, winning the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year in 2021.
AFL clubs are able to sign players to a rookie deal who have not been registered to an Australian football competition in three years.
