Lights, camera… Footy!

Two of AFL Sydney’s own were revealed as part of the show’s final 13 players, in Macquarie Uni’s James Brackin, and last year’s Phelan Medalist, Manly’s Tyrone Armitage.

The show, which aired on Wednesday night, previewed some of the best undiscovered football talent in the nation, with Brackin and Armitage impressing head coach Michael Voss enough to make their through to the final 13.

Brackin commented that the experience of having past AFL players as coaches and mentors was an event in itself.

“Obviously with Michael Voss and Ben Dixon, it’s an intense experience and demanded a lot more of us,” Brackin said.

“It was the little things they taught us that makes such a big difference in the way you play.”

Armitage has been impressive again in Season 2014 throughout the Sydney AFL competition, with his name thrown up in discussions surrounding the Phelan Medal for this season, as well as his absence (at the moment) from the popular Sydney AFL Top 20 player countdown.

“To win The Recruit would me everything to me really,” said Armitage.

“Winning The Recruit and playing at the highest level to test your body, and the mental side of things as well, is something that I would love to do.”

The AFL will hold a special NAB AFL Draft meeting on Wednesday September 17, 2014 for all clubs who wished to consider selecting a player who had partaken in the upcoming Foxtel show on FOX8, ‘The Recruit.’

AFL General Counsel Andrew Dillon said the AFL Commission had determined that the player selected at this Draft could be placed on club lists as a Category B rookie. All clubs have the right to participate in the draft meeting, but it is not compulsory to make a bid or selection for a player.

The Recruit will be broadcast at 7.30pm on Wednesdays on FOX8, starting this week, with an encore screening on FOX FOOTY on Sunday nights at 8.30pm.

While aspects of the Draft / selection process will become clear through the course of the 10-week run of the show, all 18 AFL clubs will have an opportunity to select the winner of The Recruit through the live Draft selection process scheduled for the final episode on September 17.

Players had to be 20 years of age on or before 31 December 2013 and may not have been on an AFL Primary or Rookie List at any time previously in their career or on a VFL, SANFL or WAFL club list in 2012 and 2013.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said he wished to thank Foxtel, through its Channel FOX8, for its support of the show, which will give players from outside the traditional AFL talent pathways the opportunity to be drafted on to an AFL list.

“The dream to play AFL football is held by thousands and thousands of players across our country, with only the elite getting to run on the ground for an AFL match,’ Mr McLachlan said.

“Many many players, who are very fine footballers, have not been able to get that opportunity to discover if they are good enough to play at the highest level, for a host of different reasons.

“’The Recruit’ has gone out to find those players who are outside our traditional pathways and give them opportunity to impress, under the coaching of a Hall of Fame inductee in Michael Voss and the best possible training and off-field support.”

Foxtel General Manager, General Entertainment Channels, Brendon Moo, said: “The AFL’s support and commitment to The Recruit will give one of these young players the opportunity of a lifetime. This new series is a perfect way to showcase Foxtel’s partnership with the AFL, and is a unique, inspirational and entertaining new program for our viewers to follow each week.”

You can cheer on the Sydney AFL boys every Wednesday on The Recruit, 7:30pm on Fox8.