Their footballs are pumped, uniforms washed, boot laces threaded and smiles ready for action as the 23 lucky recruits for Team NAB AFL Auskick get set to make their way to Melbourne for an experience of a lifetime.

Arriving next week ahead of the 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final, the first stop on the incredible itinerary will see the little Auskickers take part in a guernsey presentation where they’ll be handed their jumpers in front of an audience including AFL and AFLW players.

Joining thousands of footy fans in the heart of Melbourne on Friday, the team will soak up all the atmosphere of Grand Final eve as they participate in the Grand Final Parade, before watching the last training sessions of both teams contending for premiership glory.

The ultimate footy experience for Team NAB AFL Auskick peaks on Saturday – the last day in September. The recruits will not only play an on-field grid game on the hallowed turf of the MCG at half time, but they’ll also present the newly crowned premiership players with their medallions.

If that experience wasn’t enough, one very lucky recruit will be crowned the 2024 NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year and will receive a remarkable $5,000 prize thanks to NAB, and have the privilege of being mentored by an AFL and AFLW player throughout 2025 – not to mention some hosting duties on this year’s Brownlow red carpet.

Nick Daicos this year signed on as a Team NAB AFL Auskick coach alongside female counterpart Katie Brennan, who returned for her second year of her coaching contract. Team NAB AFL Auskick was a new initiative last year and called for registered participants of NAB AFL Auskick to register for a chance to join the team, along with an Auskick mate of their choice. Eleven lucky winners have been announced throughout the 2024 Toyota AFL Premiership Season during Seven Network’s Friday night AFL match broadcast.

NAB Chief Operating Officer Les Matheson said Auskick plays an important role in supporting the future stars of the game.

“AFL Auskickers are the next generation of AFL and AFLW superstars, and one day they’ll be taking Katie Brennan and Nick Daicos’ positions on the Grand Final stage.

“The thrill of being out on the ‘G on Grand Final day and presenting a premiership medal to their heroes is something truly special and memorable. Moments like these are sure to last a lifetime for the lucky Auskickers.

“Team NAB AFL Auskick welcomes every mini legend who loves footy and being part of a supportive community, and we’re proud to be part of that."

For more information about how you can get involved in NAB AFL Auskick, visit play.afl/play/auskick

Meet the recruits from Team NAB AFL Auskick: 

Recruit 1
Name: Jack Rondinelli
Auskick Centre: Camberwell Sharks
State: VIC
Supports: Collingwood Magpies
Fun Fact: Jack loves to read, especially the AFL Record and studying his footy cards.

Recruit 2
Name: Saverio (Savvy) Colosimo
Auskick Centre: Camberwell Sharks
State: VIC
Supports: Collingwood Magpies
Fun Fact: Savvy knows all the words to all AFL theme songs.

Recruit 3
Name: Leanne Arenas
Auskick Centre: Taylors Lakes
State: VIC
Supports: Carlton
Fun Fact: Leanne is an all-round star, loving swimming, school choir, footy and drawing!

Recruit 4
Name: Laura Arenas
Auskick Centre: Taylors Lakes
State: VIC
Supports: Essendon
Fun Fact: Laura loves expressing her creativity through playing Roblox.

Recruit 5
Name: Evelyn Soldani
Auskick Centre: St Mary's Geelong
State: VIC
Supports: Geelong Cats
Fun Fact: At Auskick Evelyn likes to celebrate any victory with a cartwheel, walkover or back handspring!

Recruit 6
Name: Ollie Mamone
Auskick Centre: St Mary's Geelong
State: VIC
Supports: Geelong Cats
Fun Fact: She spends most of her time at home singing and dancing around the loungeroom and wants to be Taylor Swift when she grows up. 

Recruit 7
Name: Alexander Kouts
Auskick Centre: SANFL Wheelchair
State: SA
Supports: Adelaide Crows
Fun Fact: Alex is a keen commentator (inspired by Bruce McAvaney), and co-commentated the 2022 SANFL Wheelchair Football Grand Final at just nine years old!

Recruit 8
Name: Tristan De Souza
Auskick Centre: SANFL Wheelchair
State: SA
Supports: Adelaide Crows
Fun Fact: Tristan has been involved in his local Surf Livesaving Club's Junior Nipper's program since he was five years old.

Recruit 9
Name: Andre Chung
Auskick Centre: East Sydney Bulldogs
State: NSW
Supports: Sydney Swans
Fun Fact: Andre dreams of playing for his beloved Sydney Swans one day and attends every single SCG home game.

Recruit 10
Name: George Cudmore
Auskick Centre: East Sydney Bulldogs
State: NSW
Supports: Geelong Cats
Fun Fact: George loves the Cats (and Tom Hawkins) so much that he showed up to Auskick training after the 2022 AFL Grand Final wearing his Cats jumper even though there were Sydney Swans players visiting!

Recruit 11
Name: Takiyah Wright
Auskick Centre: Manunda Terrace PS Auskick Centre
State: NT
Supports: Gold Coast SUNS
Fun Fact: Takiyah has nine siblings! And her Uncle Joel Jeffrey plays AFL for the SUNS.

Recruit 12
Name: Joseph Jeffrey
Auskick Centre: Manunda Terrace PS Auskick Centre
State: NT
Supports: Gold Coast SUNS
Fun Fact: Joseph loves being outdoors camping, fishing or hunting if he isn't playing footy or basketball.

Recruit 13
Name: Austin Nicolosi
Auskick Centre: Melton Auskick Centre
State: VIC
Supports: Collingwood Magpies
Fun Fact: In kindergarten Austin made his own footy cards by cutting out a photo of himself and attaching it onto the bodies of Jamie Elliot and Josh Daicos.

Recruit 14
Name: Caleb Zerafa
Auskick Centre: Melton Auskick Centre
State: VIC
Supports: Western Bulldogs
Fun Fact: Caleb loves all sport and will always offer to teach his friends and teachers at school how to kick a footy.

Recruit 15 
Name: Jessica Maloney
Auskick Centre: Jindera Auskick Centre
State: NSW
Supports: Geelong Cats
Fun Fact: Thanks to her Nan, Jessica is a Junior Country Womens Association Member and has won many prizes both in cooking and handicraft sections, even beating some of the senior ladies!

Recruit 16
Name: Grace Lee
Auskick Centre: Jindera Auskick Centre
State: NSW
Supports: Essendon
Fun Fact: Grace’s favourite football memory is being coached by Emma Mackie, a former AFLW player for St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs.

Recruit 17
Name: Jackson Chamberlain
Auskick Centre: Coorparoo JAFC
State: QLD
Supports: West Coast Eagles
Fun Fact: Jackson has a goal to get a photo with every current player from every AFL team, currently sitting at about 200 photos with players from nine teams!

Recruit 18
Name: Luca Chamberlain
Auskick Centre: Coorparoo JAFC
State: QLD
Supports: Brisbane Lions
Fun Fact: Luca’s goal is to get a photo with Charlie Cameron and the Daicos brothers.

Recruit 19
Name: Phoebe Cresswell
Auskick Centre: Whorouly Auskick Centre
State: VIC
Supports: Hawthorn
Fun Fact: Phoebe lives on a farm is always first to help out with the cattle, feeding out, mustering cattle and raising poddy calves.

Recruit 20
Name: Aviva Lovelle
Auskick Centre: Myrtleford Auskick Centre
State: VIC
Supports: West Coast Eagles
Fun Fact: Aviva is part of the U12 female footy initiative run by AFL North East Border and loves playing with her friends.

Recruit 21
Name: Lachlan Jones
Auskick Centre: Tarrawingee Auskick Centre
State: VIC
Supports: Hawthorn
Fun Fact: Lachlan measures up his height compared to his favourite AFL players every birthday to see how much taller he has to grow to be as tall as them.

Recruit 22
Name: Lenny White
Auskick Centre: Tarrawingee Auskick Centre
State: VIC
Supports: Brisbane Lions
Fun Fact: Lenny lives on a kiwi fruit farm and loves fishing for Cod on the Oven's River.

Recruit 23
Name: Jack Shillington
Auskick Centre: Ascot Vale Panthers Auskick Centre
State: VIC
Supports: Essendon
Fun Fact: Jack loves to run and broke the 60m sprint club record this season at Essendon Little Athletics.

About NAB AFL Auskick: 

• Nearly 140,000 boys and girls participated in NAB AFL Auskick programs this year, at more than 4,000 centres across the country - setting a new record!
• NAB AFL Auskick is an introductory program for kids to connect with Australian rules football while having lots of fun and being active – it’s time to ‘Come Find Your Awesome!’  
• In weekly sessions, kids will focus on building football skills and playing in a safe and super fun setting. Expect small groups, heaps of games and parent/guardian involvement.   
• NAB AFL Auskick invites all children aged 5-12 no matter their knowledge, skill or ability, to participate in the non-contact program.   
• NAB AFL Auskick offers an inclusive environment for everyone to get involved, with optional ‘All Girls’ Auskick programs and All-Abilities Auskick centres available.    
• Auskick participants have the chance to feature in mini games during halftime at elite AFL and AFLW matches throughout the season. A once-in-a-lifetime experience for many kids! 
• Upon signing up, all Auskickers get an awesome pack filled with cool footy goodies not available anywhere else.  
• Visit play.afl/play/auskick for more details.