Justin Erasmus - 2016-17 Brisbane Bandits

Erasmus returned for his sixth ABL season with Brisbane during 2016-17, his seventh in total in the ABL. He had previously spent time in 2016 with the De Glaskoning Twins in the Honkbal Hoofdklasse (Dutch Major League.)

2016-17 Brisbane Bandits Justin Erasmus card front - ©2017 Adam East

Devon Barker - 2016-17 Adelaide Bite

Barker is an American import who returned for his second season with the Adelaide Bite during the 2016-17 ABL season. In between his two ABL stints, Barker spent 2017 playing for Třebíč Nuclears in the Czech Extraliga.

2016-17 Adelaide Bite Devon Barker card front - ©2017 Adam East

Robbie Perkins - 2016-17 Canberra Cavalry

Robbie returned from the northern summer playing with the Colorado Rockies farm teams to play in his sixth ABL season with the Canberra Cavalry in the 2016-17 ABL season. In 2017 he split time between the Rockies Single and Advanced A teams with a brief end of season appearance at the Triple A level Albuquerque Isotopes.

2016-17 Canberra Cavalry Robbie Perkins card front - ©2017 Adam East

2016-17 Canberra Cavalry Robbie Perkins alternate card front - ©2017 Adam East

Josh Dean - 2016-17 Sydney Blue Sox

Sydney Blue Sox veteran Dean returned for his sixth year with the Blue Sox during the 2016-17 ABL season.

2016-17 Sydney Blue Sox Joshua Dean card front - ©2017 Adam East

Virgil Vasquez - 2016-17 Melbourne Aces

Former MLB, Perth Heat, Adelaide Bite and Melbourne Aces player Vasquez returned to the Aces for his second ABL season with them and his fifth ABL season in total during 2016-17.

2016-17 Melbourne Aces Virgil Vasquez card front - ©2017 Adam East

Sean Guinard - 2016-17 Canberra Cavalry

Having pitched 4 innings for the Canberra Cavalry back in the 2012-13 ABL season, Guinard returned to Cavalry roster after a 4 year gap and made the most of his opportunities, starting 10 games and compiling a 4-2 record. Guinard is an American who originally came over to play baseball for a local ACT club before his brief original ABL stint. He ended up marrying a local girl and staying, even taking up playing Australian Rules Football in the AFL Canberra competition. I have him listed as "American" but I don't know what his actual status is - having married a local and settled down here, I don't know whether he's taken out Aussie citizenship or not.

2016017 Canberra Cavalry Sean Guinard card front - ©2017 Adam East

Andrew Campbell - 2016-17 Brisbane Bandits

Local Ipswich born Campbell returned for his seventh season with the Brisbane Bandits during the 2016-17 ABL season.

2016-17 Brisbane Bandits Andrew Campbell card front - ©2017 Adam East

Matt Williams - 2016-17 Adelaide Bite

The curse of not getting an action shot of Williams at the Bite continues. The 2016-17 ABL season was Williams' seventh ABL season and his fourth with Adelaide. Of note though is that his legendary ginger beard reduced down to just a goatee after years of previous growth.

2016-17 Adelaide Bite Matthew Williams card front - ©2017 Adam East

Tyler Herr - 2016-17 Canberra Cavalry

Herr is an American import who played with the Canberra Cavalry during the 2016-17 ABL season. Herr had previously spent a season with the Sydney Blue Sox back in 2012-13 before being released from the Minnesota Twins organisation. Since the he's been playing in assorted independent leagues, most recently with the San Rafael Pacifics (Pacific Association), the Tucson Saguaros (Pecos League) and the Joplin Blasters (American Association) in 2016 and the Salina Stockade (American Association) in 2017.

2016-17 Canberra Cavalry Tyler Herr card front - ©2017 Adam East

2016-17 Canberra Cavalry Tyler Herr alternate card front ©2017 Adam East

Matt Timms - 2016-17 Brisbane Bandits

Local Queenslander Timms returned for his third season with the Brisbane Bandits during the 2016-17 ABL season.

2016-17 Brisbane Bandits Matt Timms card front - ©2017 Adam East

Scott Cone - 2016-17 Canberra Cavalry

Scott Cone was another one of the Aussie-born "New Zealanders" who had to change allegiance to Australia or be considered an import for the Canberra Cavalry during the 2016-17 ABL season. Cone had previously played for the Cavalry during the 2015-16 ABL season, however his decision to play for New Zealand in the World Baseball Classic hadn't been an issue under the previous import rules.

2016-17 Canberra Cavalry Scott Cone card front - ©2017 Adam East

2016-17 Canberra Cavalry Scott Cone alternate card front - ©2017 Adam East

Josh Silvi - 2016-17 Perth Heat

Despite being only being 23 years old and having played only 28 games games, Silvi is fast becoming a veteran of the Perth Heat players with the 2016-17 ABL season being his sixth season in the ABL.

2016-17 Perth Heat Josh Silvi card front - ©2017 Adam East

Liam Bedford - 2016-17 Melbourne Aces

Melbourne local Bedford returned for his fourth season with the Melbourne Aces during the 2016-17 ABL season.

2016-17 Melbourne Aces Liam Bedford card front - ©2017 Adam East

Custom NFL Card - 1988 Topps Colin Scotts

As a follow up to my Colin Ridgway 1996 Philadelphia NFL card, here's the next in my series of "Aussie NFL Players who need a trading card". This is for Colin Scotts, the second ever Australian to play in the NFL and the first to be drafted.  He was drafted by the St Louis Cardinals as the 70th pick in the third round of the 1987 draft. Scotts ended up playing seven games at DE/TE for the Cardinals before being traded to the Houston Oilers. Unfortunately, he didn't end up adding to his game tally but still holds the distinction of being one of only a handful of Aussies to play in a non-Punting position in the NFL.

I couldn't find any photos of Scotts from his actual NFL games, so I had to take one from his days playing at the University of Hawaii and modify the uniforms to look like the 1987 St Louis design. Noting that he played in the 1987 season, it made sense to add him in to the 1988 Topps NFL card design. I have to admit that the Cardinal logo on the helmet in the photo looks a little funny in the placement to me, but the helmet is actually lifted directly from the image of another player from the era so it is authentic.

1988 Topps Colin Scotts custom card front - made by Adam East

1988 Topps Colin Scotts custom card back - made by Adam East

River Stephens - 2016-17 Canberra Cavalry

Sometimes it's hard to tell all of the Canberra Cavalry players with their golden flowing locks apart .... in this case it's River Stevens, American import from the San Diego Padres organisation. Stevens returned for his second season with Canberra during the 2016-17 ABL season. In between his ABL stints he played with the Padres' single A, Advanced A and double A affiliates in 2016.

2016-17 Canberra Cavalry River Stevens card front - ©2017 Adam East