The Gold Coast AFL club have recruited spring-heeled indigenous player Liam Patrick, the cousin of explosive young Melbourne forward Liam Jurrah.

Like Jurrah, who showed some freakish talent in his debut AFL season with the Demons this year, 21-year-old Patrick comes from a remote Northern Territory desert community.

He is from the small Lajamanu community, 900km south of Darwin.

Having played most of his football in his local region, Patrick recently joined the Darwin-based Wanderers to enhance his draft prospects, making the 1,800km round trip each weekend.

Nicknamed the Lajamanu Lightning Bolt, his big leap has allowed him to play in the ruck, despite standing just 189cm.

Patrick was overlooked in the recent AFL national draft, after being interviewed by several clubs, allowing Gold Coast to swoop ahead of the upcoming pre-season and rookie drafts.

Gold Coast, who will spend next year in the VFL ahead of their 2011 AFL debut, have zoned access to up to three NT players.

The club's football manager Marcus Ashcroft said Patrick, who has been signed to a two-year deal, was an exciting prospect.

"He can jump, he can run and he knows how to play football," Ashcroft said.

Patrick said it was a dream to make an AFL squad.

"Not only have I realised a dream of being on an AFL list, but I will now be able to tell future generations in the Lajamanu community I was a part of the inaugural squad to represent the Gold Coast in the AFL," he said.

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