Four RAMS chosen for AIS-AFL Academy
The AFL has nominated 62 of the nation’s best young footballers to be included in the sixteenth AIS-AFL Academy intake.
This is the second intake of the expanded two-tier model. All players will receive an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship.
Level One will be coached by AFL Engagement and Talent Coordinator Chris Johnson. Level One players were selected from the recent NAB AFL Under-16 Championships that were held in Sydney. The squad of 30 will tour New Zealand in January.
Players in the Level Two squad will turn 18 during 2013 and will be eligible to be drafted. The squad of 32 will be managed by AIS-AFL Academy High Performance Coach Michael O’Loughlin and will return to Europe in April 2013.
AFL General Manager National and International Development Andrew Dillon said the AIS-AFL Academy program prepares young players for the elite level.
“The AIS-AFL Academy’s two-tiered model allows the players to receive specific high-performance training and guidance as they prepare for the prospect of joining an AFL list.
“The program is not only about on-field skills. Players are exposed to industry-best practice in areas such as nutrition and recovery while the opportunity to travel and experience our game on the international stage is unique to the AIS-AFL program,” he said.
Acting AIS Director Phil Borgeaud said the AIS is proud of its record and tradition of partnering with sports to develop talented young athletes.
“The AIS-AFL Academy has produced many talented players who have gone on to excel at the elite level of the game and I am confident this will continue in the future.
‘The Australian Government is committed to increasing participation in the AFL at the grassroots level, providing almost $1 million in participation funding annually,” Mr Borgeaud said.
The AIS-AFL Academy is part of a commitment made by the AFL and the Australian Sports Commission, through the Australian Institute of Sport, to support Australian football’s best young players with their football and education development.
The squad will take part in a non-residential program allowing scholarship holders to remain at home to complete their secondary schooling.
Both squads will conduct their first camps in Melbourne during Toyota AFL Grand Final Week.
The 2012-13 AIS-AFL Academy Squads are as follows:
Level One
NSW/ACT – Isaac Heeney (NSW/ACT Rams/Cardiff Hawks), Liam Griffiths (NSW/ACT Rams/Ainslie), Nicholas Coughlan (NSW/ACT Rams/Albury)
South Australia – Jack Donkersley (Glenelg/Plympton), Mac Bower (Norwood/Payneham Norwood Union), Sam Durdin (West Adelaide/Loxton), Jesse Watchman (West Adelaide/Blackwood), Peter Spurling (Glenelg/Plympton)
Queensland – Lachlan Weller (Broadbeach), Liam Dawson (Redcliffe), Matthew Hammelmann (Morningside)
Vic Country – Jaden McGrath (Bendigo Pioneers/Kerang), Bohdi Walker (Gippsland Power/Sale), Daniel Caprion (Dandenong Stingrays/Edithvale-Aspendale), Tom Lamb (Dandenong Stingrays/Edithvale-Aspendale), Hugh Goddard (Geelong Falcons/Geelong Amateurs)
Vic Metro – Liam Duggan (Western Jets/Bacchus Marsh FNC), Angus Brayshaw (Sandringham Dragons/Hampton Rovers), Jake Lever (Calder Cannons/Romsey Juniors), Darcy Moore (Oakleigh Chargers/Kew Comets JFC), Peter Wright (Calder Cannons/Moonee Valley)
Western Australia – Jarrod Pickett (South Fremantle/Jandakot), Clem Smith (Perth/Wesley College), Ryan Lim (Claremont /Hale School), Jermaine Miller-Lewis (South Fremantle/Yule Brook College), Matthew Ah Siu (South Fremantle/Bull Creek), Bradley Walsh (Peel Thunder/Rockingham)
North-West – Western Australia – Warrick Wilson (Swan Districts/Clontarf)
Northern Territory – Nakia Cockatoo (Southern Districts)
World XVIII – Duom Dawam (Western Jets)
Level Two
NSW/ACT – Lloyd Perris (St George)
South Australia – Alex Spina (North Adelaide/Gaza), Dwayne Wilson (Sturt/Imperials), James Aish (Norwood/Payneham NU), Luke Dunstan (Woodville West Torrens/South Clare), Trent Dumont (Norwood/Golden Grove), Matthew Scharenberg (Glenelg/PHOS Camden), Luke Reynolds (Port Adelaide/North Haven), Darcy Hourigan (South Adelaide/ Strathalbyn)
Queensland – Cain Tickner (Noosa)
Vic Country – Lewis Taylor (Geelong Falcons/Terang-Mortlake), Billy Hartung (Dandenong Stingrays/Mornington), James Tsitas (Geelong Falcons/Grovedale), Matt Crouch (North Ballarat Rebels/Beaufort), Isaiah Miller (Bendigo Pioneers/ Sandhurst), Nicholas Bourke (Geelong Falcons/Kolora-Noorat), Dallas Willsmore (North Ballarat Rebels/Walpeup Underbool), Darcy Gardiner (Geelong Falcons/Queenscliff)
Vic Metro – Christian Salem (Sandringham Dragons/Brighton GS), Joshua Kelly (Sandringham Dragons/Brighton GS), Jack Billings (Oakleigh Chargers/Scotch College), Luke McDonald (Oakleigh Chargers/Trinity Grammar), Ben Lennon (Northern Knights/Ivanhoe Grammar), Cameron Conlon (Northern Knights/St Mary’s FC), Thomas Boyd (Eastern Ranges/Norwood), Marcus Bontempelli (Northern Knights/Marcellin)
Western Australia – Dylan Loo (Perth/Victoria Park JFC), Dominic Sheed (Subiaco/Mines Rovers), Nick Robertson (West Perth/Joondalup Kinross JFC), Jack Martin (Claremont/Rovers), Jesse Hogan (Claremont/Marist JFC)
Northern Territory – Errin Wasley-Black (Rovers)