WITH the 2024 AFLW season officially underway, fans are getting the opportunity to lay their eyes on their club’s draftees for the first time.

Year-on-year, those of us at AFLW clubs are witnessing young players come into the competition more prepared, both physically and tactically which is positioning them to withstand the rigours of AFLW football at an earlier stage in their career. 

This is largely due to the talent programs from which these youngsters arrive, which are becoming better resourced and with programs that better replicate what AFLW clubs do.

Over the lifespan of AFLW, the Coates Talent League (CTL) has undergone significant changes to best prepare the league’s future stars. 

In 2018 (the second year of AFLW), the CTL - formerly the TAC Cup - under-18 girls season began in March and spanned only nine rounds before concluding in late May. 

This year, the under-18 competition is played across the whole year, with the inclusion of a community access break to allow players who are selected for Vic Country or Vic Metro teams to represent their state without missing CTL games. 

The number of games they play? 17. 

Most of these programs begin their pre-season in November and train across the summer, which serves as an opportunity for coaches and recruitment staff to not only amend their lists, but to introduce structure and game plan - a far cry from the condensed talent programs of years gone by.

Not only are top-age female players being given the opportunity to grow within these talent programs, but many programs are also providing training and education for younger players in the pathways before they even reach under-18s.

This year, these under-16 players (born 2008 and later) played two rounds at the beginning of the CTL season. 

Many of these players trained throughout preseason with the under-18 CTL teams and a handful have continued to train and play with their under-18 teams, demonstrating the strength of these young players and their ability to mix it with players two or more years their senior. 

One of the most significant changes to the talent programs is the quality and quantity of staff members, particularly in the medical and high performance space.

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CTL training sessions often involve strength education and training, mirroring what a regular AFLW training session may look like. 

No longer are players walking into AFLW clubs without gym experience, rather, we are seeing players who are familiar with gym programs and have laid the foundations of core lifting movements.

CTL programs are also prioritising resources in injury prevention and rehab by supporting their programs with physios, trainers, and strength and conditioning coaches. 

In years past, players would often have to seek external support if they wanted to receive the same quality of care. 

The access these young players have to qualified and capable medical and high performance staff is a reflection of the positive direction these talent programs are heading in order to best prepare their athletes for success at the highest level.

Whilst most programs have always had a head coach supported by line coaches, we are now seeing the introduction of development coaches. 

Whilst these additional coaches not only support the broader coaching group, it’s an opportunity to up-skill coaches who are enthusiastic about AFLW and expose them to quality women’s football. 

This cycle of learning and education is filtering down into local leagues where these development coaches are passing their knowledge onto aspiring CTL and AFLW players, and so the cycle of creating more prepared and knowledgeable athletes continues. 

Even the barrier of young players living in the country having to travel significant distances to get to games and training is being ameliorated through the introduction of wellbeing coordinators within regional CTL clubs.

Travel has always been a significant impediment to the rollout of programs within country Victoria, with the geographical spread meaning young people have to travel large distances on school nights while they’re already trying to strike a balance between study, sport and life. 

These wellbeing coordinators advocate for player wellbeing and support them to navigate the many challenges young players face, such as exam and assessment stress and performance anxiety. This sets these young people up for success in their careers beyond the CTL. 

The emphasis of this valuable wellbeing resource is something that has evolved over the lifespan of these female talent programs and their importance cannot be understated.

Whilst there still exists a discrepancy between programs in country and metropolitan Victoria, we are seeing a greater commitment across the board to female talent programs with programs steadily looking to replicate what is rolled out for their male counterparts. 

Having been a part of the beginning of these female state talent programs and observed their exponential growth over the past five years, it gives me confidence that these programs are setting the next generation of AFLW players up for success at the top level. 

It really is no wonder that many of the top draftees and prospects from years past have come from Victoria when they have access to one of the fastest growing talent programs in the country.

Jordy Allen plays for Collingwood in the AFLW, and is a specialist coach for the Dandenong Stingrays' girls side in the Coates Talent League. You can catch Jordy in action when the Magpies take on Brisbane in AFLW Week Three on Friday, September 13 at 5.05pm AEST.