Nine selected for multicultural camp

by Deanna Hadid

The camp is headed by AFL great Chris Johnson and players from the Swans and GIANTS Academies will team up with 41 other players from across Australia to undergo a series of activities and high-performance testing assessed by the former Brisbane Lions star.

Activities during the camp include agility testing, followed by a training session at North Melbourne Football Club on Saturday, May 4.

This year’s team include players from wide mix of ethnic backgrounds including Greek, Thai, Fijian, Slovakian, Filipino and Croatian. The players will also be given the chance to attend a game at the MCG when Richmond host the Geelong Cats in their Round 6 match, before they put their skills to test in a selection game at Visy Park on Sunday morning.

Each of the 50 footballers will contend for one of 20 places in the 2013 World Team to compete at the NAB AFL Under-16 National Championships in Sydney from July 6-13.

In previous years the World team has enjoyed some strong performance by players who represented their state at U18 level, winning matches against Northern Territory and the South Pacific.

Ruckman Duom Dawam who represented the World Team in 2012 was selected into the 2013 Level 1 AIS/AFL Academy— an elite development program introducing many of the top 30 under 17 footballers in the country.

AFL NSW/ACT Multicultural Programs Manager, Nickie Flambouras said not only will the football skills of these young players be tested during the camp, but their attitude and ability to work as part of a team.

“Being a good footballer is only one part of the selection process,” she said.

“We have strong and talented young sportsmen representing NSW/ACT at the National Multicultural Camp.

“I wish them all the best and hope they enjoy the experience and meet other like minded athletes.”

The National Multicultural Camp, run by AFL Talent Development will include the best Multicultural players from across Australia, as nominated by their states during Multicultural talent camps.

The camp will run in Melbourne from  May 3-5.