2018-19 NAB AFL Academy squads announced
The AFL is pleased to announce the 2018-19 NAB AFL Academy squads, which will include 11 players from the AFL NSW/ACT region.
The expanded NAB AFL Academy Program will now see 150 players engaged in high performance camps conducted across five talent regions – Vic Country, Vic Metro, South Australia, Western Australia and Allies (New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, Queensland and the Northern Territory).
From the Sydney Swans Academy, Jackson Barling, Hamish Ellem, Luke Parks and Josh Rayner will participate, with 2018 Under-16 All Australian players, Braedon Campbell and Errol Gulden also to take part.
GIANTS Academy members, Liam Delahunty, Matt McGory and 2018 Allies player, Tom Green will also be a part of the NAB AFL Academy for the upcoming season.
Murray Bushrangers, Charlie Byrne (Albury) and Will Chandler (Corowa-Rutherglen) will also join their regional compatriots.
The Academies will come together for their first camps in the coming weeks with the Allies training camp being held between December 3-14, 2018.
Coaching the Allies component of the Academy will be three-time Brisbane Lions Premiership player, Luke Power who has been the Academy’s head coach since 2016.
AFL Head of Talent Tristan Salter said it is an exciting time for the country’s best young talent.
“The new approach to the national Academy will ensure more of our most talented players have access to AFL facilities, while receiving the best quality coaching, high performance and wellbeing services in the country,” he said.
“Importantly these players will spend more time in their home state, with year-round first-class support that will enhance their opportunity to perform at an elite level through the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.
“I congratulate all who have been named in squads today and I look forward to watching their development over the next 12-24 months.”
The best Under-17 and Under-18 players from the state academies will also have the opportunity to attend national camps. This will be overseen by Marcus Ashcroft and Luke Power. These activities include:
December 2018 Under-17 Futures Game players to spend a week at an AFL club
April 2019 Best 25 Under-18 players to represent Australia against VFL opposition
April 2019 Best 25 Under-17 players to represent Australia against New Zealand
September 2019 Under-17 Futures Game – played on Toyota AFL Grand Final Day
This is the twenty-second NAB AFL Academy intake. Since 1997 490 Academy players (81 per cent of NAB AFL Academy players) have been drafted to AFL clubs.
2018-19 NAB AFL Academy Squad – Allies
Jackson Barling – Sydney Swans/Willoughby Mosman
Connor Budarick – Gold Coast Suns/Labrador
Charlie Byrne – Murray Bushrangers/Albury
Jackson Callow – Tasmania/North Launceston
Braedon Campbell – Sydney Swans/Westbrook
Will Chandler – Murray Bushrangers/Corowa-Rutherglen
Sam Collins – Tasmania/North Hobart
Ashton Crossley – Gold Coast Suns/Burleigh/Palm Beach Currumbin
Saxon Crozier – Brisbane Lions/Wests
Jared Dakin – Tasmania/Launceston
Alex Davies – Gold Coast Suns/Cairns Hawks
Oliver Davis – Tasmania/Clarence
Liam Delahunty – GWS Giants/Coolamon
Hamish Ellem – Sydney Swans/Manly Warringah
Tom Griffiths – Brisbane Lions/Maroochydore
Tom Green – GWS Giants/Marist
Errol Gulden – Sydney Swans/Maroubra
Joel Jeffrey – Northern Territory/Wanderers
Jack Johnston – Gold Coast Suns/Palm Beach Currumbin
Ben Jungfer – Northern Territory/Warpaths/Woodville-West Torrens
Will Martyn – Brisbane Lions/Aspley
Matt McGrory – GWS Giants/Gungahlin
Mitch O’Neill – Tasmania/North Hobart
Luke Parks – Sydney Swans/North Shore
Hewago Paul-Oea – Gold Coast Suns/PNG/Broadbeach
Will Peppin – Tasmania/North Hobart
Josh Rayner – Sydney Swans/North Shore
Malcolm Rosas Jnr – Northern Territory/Darwin
Bruce Reville – Brisbane Lions/Western Magpies/Maryborough
Kobe Tozer – Brisbane Lions/Aspley/Bribie Island
The NAB AFL Academy is part of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, which supports grassroots players and football communities and helps young Australians fulfil their dream of playing in the AFL. The NAB AFL Rising Stars Program comprises the following elements:
NAB AFL Rising Star
NAB AFL Draft
NAB AFL Draft Combine
NAB AFL Trade Period
NAB AFL Under-18 Championships
NAB AFL Academy Program
NAB AFL Under-16 Championships
NAB has supported the footy community since 2002, providing boys and girls with a clear pathway from NAB AFL Auskick through the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program all the way to the big time.
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