Timbermen take Bragg with 1st Arena Lacrosse League pick

The Peterborough Timbermen of the Arena Lacrosse League picked Justin Bragg, a lefty transition player out of the Clarington Green Gaels Jr. B, with their first pick at the league’s annual combine and draft held Saturday at Children’s Arena in Oshawa.

“Justin was the best player on the floor at the combine today and we’re thrilled we were able to get him when we did,” stated head coach and general manager Joe Sullivan.

He was taken in the second round and Timbermen officials consider it to be the steal of the draft.

“Just coming out of junior lacrosse I am very excited that I was selected early in the draft,” Bragg stated.

“My expectations coming into my first year of ALL lacrosse are being able to help out the defensive side of the floor with my aggressive play and my ability to transition the ball up the floor with my speed and skill.”

The Timbermen are counting on his transition ability to help replace Doug Utting who is likely to crack the Rochester Knighthawks’ roster.

The Timbermen also drafted current Peterborough Jr. A Lakers goaltender Landon Kells, who was also selected by the NLL’s Calgary Roughnecks after a great summer season that saw him serve as Mike Poulin’s backup for the Peterborough Lakers for the whole Mann Cup series.

Other local players included former Jr. A Lakers Carter Badour and Jordan Hendrycks as well as Peterborough natives Tyler Grandel and Aaron Bradshaw. Grandel has spent time with both the Jr. A and C Lakers and played as a call-up for the Timbermen last season while he was with the ALL’s U-22 team.

“We picked a lot of talented players who want to play for us,” Sullivan stated. “It will be a great training camp to decide on our final roster.”

The Timbermen open their 2020 ALL 14-game season in Millbrook on Dec. 21 against the Steelhawks.

Tickets at the door are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 14.

Here is the full Timbermen draft list (pick number, round, name, position, hometown, previous team):

> 13 2 Justin Bragg, transition, Oshawa, Clarington Jr. B

> 20 3 Lucas Ferreira, offence, Brampton, Brampton Jr. B

> 27 4 Carter Badour, transition, Ottawa, Peterborough Jr. A

> 34 5 Landon Kells, goaltender, Fergus, Peterborough Jr. A

> 41 6 Troi Benedict, goaltender, Akwesasne, Akwesasne Jr. B

> 48 7 Mitchell Geoffroy, offence, St. Catharines, Welland Jr. B

> 55 8 Henry Chapman offence, White Plains, N.Y., Canisius (NCAA)

> 60 9 Jeff Geddis, defence, Fairport, N.Y., Shenandoah (NCAA)

> 62 9 Tyler Grandel, transition, Peterborough, Peterborough Jr. A

> 69 10 Todd Chapman, defence, Ottawa, Ottawa Sr. B

> 76 11 Scott Taylor, defence, Kanata, Ottawa Sr. B

> 83 12 Jordan Hendrycks, transition, Ottawa, Peterborough Jr. A

> 90 13 Andrew Desilva, defence, Hollister, Calif., Trent Excalibur

> 97 14 Aaron Bradshaw, offence, Cavan, Peterborough Jr. C

> 104 15 Scott Edwards, transition, Brampton, Brampton Jr. B