Wil Parker

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Wil Parker

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Wil Brian Parker

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|05|29|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Croydon, Victoria, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| originalteam = Eastern Ranges (Talent League)

| draftpick =

| debutdate =

| debutteam =

| debutopponent =

| debutstadium =

| height = 180 cm

| weight =

| currentclub = {{AFL Col}}

| guernsey = 15

| years1 = 2024–

| club1 = {{AFL Col}}

| games_goals1 = 7 (1)

| statsend = round 17, 2025

| careerhighlights =

}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = {{nowrap|}}

| image =

| fullname =

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm leg break

| role = Bowler

| family = Geoff Parker (uncle)

| club1 = Victoria

| year1 = 2019/20–2023/24

| clubnumber1 = 8

| club2 = Hobart Hurricanes

| year2 = {{nowrap|2020/21–2022/23}}

| columns = 3

| column1 = FC

| matches1 = 4

| runs1 = 4

| bat avg1 = 2.00

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 4

| deliveries1 = 360

| wickets1 = 6

| bowl avg1 = 32.00

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 3/54

| catches/stumpings1 = 1/–

| column2 = LA

| matches2 = 1

| runs2 = 7

| bat avg2 = 7.00

| 100s/50s2 = 0/0

| top score2 = 7

| deliveries2 = 44

| wickets2 = 1

| bowl avg2 = 44.00

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 1/44

| catches/stumpings2 = 1/–

| column3 = T20

| matches3 = 9

| runs3 = 47

| bat avg3 = 11.75

| 100s/50s3 = 0/0

| top score3 = 25*

| deliveries3 = 108

| wickets3 = 1

| bowl avg3 = 185.00

| fivefor3 = 0

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 1/42

| catches/stumpings3 = 1/–

| date = 4 April

| year = 2023

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1216350.html ESPNcricinfo

}}

Wil Brian Parker (born 29 May 2002){{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/2246/2246744/2246744.html |title=Wil Parker |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=7 March 2020}} is a professional Australian rules football player who currently plays for the Collingwood Football Club, and a former domestic cricketer who played for the Victoria cricket team and the Hobart Hurricanes.

Cricket career

Parker made his first-class debut on 14 February 2020, for Victoria in the 2019–20 Sheffield Shield season.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1196132.html |title=19th Match, Marsh Sheffield Shield at Sydney, Feb 14-17 2020 |accessdate=14 February 2020 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-cricket-victoria-wil-parker-nab-league-afl-draft-2020-draft-prospects-sheffield-shield/news-story/cb55f4cdf445f947f4c9ea1ed1050283 |title=Cross-code showdown on the cards as Victoria select AFL gun in state cricket team |work=Fox Sports |date=13 February 2020 |accessdate=14 February 2020}} He became the fourth-youngest cricketer to make their first-class debut for Victoria.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricketvictoria.com.au/wil-parker-to-debut-for-victoria/ |title=Wil Parker to debut for Victoria |date=13 February 2020 |publisher=Cricket Victoria |accessdate=14 February 2020}} His uncle, Geoff Parker, also played first-class cricket for Victoria.{{cite web|url=https://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/cricket/1030440/wil-parker-named-in-victorias-sheffield-shield-squad |title=Wil Parker named in Victoria's Sheffield Shield squad |work=Sunraysia Daily |date=11 February 2020 |accessdate=14 February 2020}}

In June 2020, Parker signed a professional contract with Victoria for the 2020–21 domestic season, opting to play cricket instead of Australian rules football, where he was touted as a potential early draft selection.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/29355397/legspinner-wil-parker-opts-cricket-afl-victoria-contract |title=Legspinner Wil Parker opts for cricket over football with Victoria contract |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|accessdate=24 June 2020}} He made his Twenty20 debut on 27 December 2020, for the Hobart Hurricanes, in the 2020–21 Big Bash League season.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1226868.html |title=16th Match (N), Brisbane, Dec 27 2020, Big Bash League |accessdate=27 December 2020 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}} He made his List A debut on 10 March 2021, for Victoria in the 2020–21 Marsh One-Day Cup.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1244121.html |title=5th Match, Melbourne, Mar 9 2021, The Marsh Cup |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=10 March 2021}} At the end of the 2023-24 Sheffield Shield season and 2023–24 Marsh One-Day Cup he gave up his contract with Cricket Victoria to return to Australian rules football.

For Victoria he played 4 First-Class games, taking 6 wickets at an average of 32 and scoring 4 runs in 2 innings at an average of 2. Parker also represented Victoria in a solitary one-day match, taking 1 wicket for 44 and scoring 7 runs. In T20 cricket he played 9 games, taking 1 wicket for the cost of 185 runs and scoring 47 runs in 6 innings (with a high score of 25 against the Perth Scorchers in December 2021) at an average of 11.75.

AFL career

For the 2024 AFL season, Parker signed with the Collingwood Football Club{{cite web |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1078740/magpies-sign-former-cricketer-to-complete-list|title=Magpies sign former cricketer to complete list |date=23 February 2024 |publisher=AFL Media}} as a Category B Rookie. He made his debut against Fremantle in round 11.{{cite web|url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2024/05/21/ex-bbl-cricketer-among-two-debutants-for-collingwood-in-round-11/|title=Ex-BBL cricketer among two debutants for Collingwood in Round 11 |first=Seb|last=Mottram|publisher=1116 SEN|date=21 May 2024}}

Statistics

: Statistics are correct to the end of the 2024 season{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/W/Wil_Parker.html|title=Wil Parker|work=AFL Tables|access-date=8 September 2024}}

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2024

| {{AFL Col}} || 45 || 5 || 1 || 0 || 24 || 18 || 42 || 6 || 12 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 4.8 || 3.6 || 8.4 || 1.2 || 2.4

|- style="background:#EAEAEA; font-weight:bold; width:2em"

| scope="row" text-align:center class="sortbottom" colspan=3 | Career

| 5

| 1

| 0

| 24

| 18

| 42

| 6