Three locals selected for AFLW Academy

The AFL has announced the 2018 NAB AFL Women’s Academy squads, which include three players from the New South Wales and ACT region.

Thurgoona’s Alyce Parker and Woorinen’s Jordyn Jolliffe have both been selected in the Level Two squad following stellar years at a local and state level.

Despite both being ineligible for this year’s AFL Women’s Draft due to their age, the duo have become familiar names within AFLW Under 18 ranks, having played in the 2017 NAB AFL Women’s Under 18s Championships, and being selected in the All Australian squad following.

Parker and Jolliffe were also selected as a part of the Allies team who played in the historic Under 18s AFLW State of Origin match at Etihad Stadium back in September.

Canberra’s Maggie Gorham has also been selected as a part of the 2018 NAB AFL Women’s Academy with the Belconnen Magpie gaining Level One selection.

Like Parker and Jolliffe, Gorham was also a part of the AFL NSW/ACT team who took part in this year’s Under 18s Championships, gaining the attention of selectors.

The success of the inaugural Academy was highlighted by 11 footballers joining an AFLW club in last week’s NAB AFL Women’s Draft.

AFL and State Talent Managers selected the latest intake of players following the 2017 AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships held in July.

Forty-four players will receive an AFL Women’s Academy scholarship and come together for accelerated Australian football and personal development camps over a 12-month period.

They will train with AFL clubs in November and December, attend high-performance training camps in December and April, and have access to athlete management systems, AFL coaches, and sports science and sports medicine staff.

AFL Women’s Female Talent Operations Manager, Aasta O’Connor and mentors, Renee Forth and Ahmed Saad oversee the Academy program.

“In the next 12 months we will be working to prepare the best young female talent for AFLW football,” O’Connor said.

Adelaide premiership player and 2017 AFLW Best and Fairest player, Erin Phillips will also serve as the Academy’s high performance coach.

Every state and territory is represented in the squads, which include 17 players who were members of the inaugural Academy.

The first camp will be held at the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre in Darwin in December.

The squads are broken into 15 Level One players (16 years of age) and 29 Level Two footballers, who are the best 17-year-olds eligible for next year’s NAB AFL Women’s Draft.