THE AFL has on Wednesday released its Level 2 squad of 32 players selected into the NAB AFL Academy as part of its 21st intake into the program after the Level 1 squad was released in August.
Twenty-five players will return to the NAB AFL Academy with seven new scholarships awarded to Geelong Falcons’ Edward McHenry, Oakleigh Chargers’ Isaac Quaynor, Sandringham Dragons’ Bailey Smith, Calder Cannons’ Curtis Taylor, Northern Territory’s Matt Green, Dandenong Stingray’s pair Riley Bowman and Bailey Williams.
Under the guidance of NAB AFL Academy head coach Luke Power and assistant coaches, Brad Johnson, Peter Sumich and Brent Harvey the squad will come together for accelerated AFL football and personal development camps to be help in Australia and overseas over the next 12 months.
The first camp will take place in Darwin in late November based at the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre before the squad will travel to the world-renowned IMG Academy in Florida USA in January 2018 for a High Performance Training camp where players will prepare for their AFL Draft year.
Over two decades, the NAB AFL Academy has produced:
- 464 Drafted players – 81 percent of all NAB AFL Academy players
- 43 AFL All-Australians (including Dylan Shiel, Josh Kelly, Paddy Ryder, Tom Mitchell, Joe Daniher and Matt Crouch named in 2017)
- Nine current captains (Travis Boak, Trent Cotchin, Jack Viney, Jarryd Roughhead, Shannon Hurn, Marc Murphy, Joel Selwood, Steven May and Jack Ziebell)
- Four Brownlow Medallists (Chris Judd, Trent Cotchin, Patrick Dangerfield and Adam Cooney)
- Four Norm Smith Medalists (Luke Hodge, Chris Judd, Andrew Embley and Cyril Rioli)
- Seven NAB AFL Rising Star winners (Brett Deledio, Joel Selwood, Daniel Rich, Jaeger O’Meara, Lewis Taylor, Jesse Hogan and Callum Mills)
- 17 of the last 19 years since its inception produced the No. 1 Draft selection
AFL International and National Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan said: “The NAB AFL Academy continues into its third decade to provide accelerated development for our next generation of AFL Stars. As well as a major focus on the playing side of their development the Academy will again look to nurture our future leaders of the game with the environment created under Luke Power.”
The 2017-18 NAB AFL Academy Squad
Level Two
NSW/ACT: Nick Blakey (Swans Academy), Matthew Walker (Giants Academy)
Queensland: Bailey Scott (Suns Academy)
South Australia: Jackson Hately (Central District), Jack Lukosius (Woodville – West Torrens), Hugo Munn (Sturt), Izak Rankine (West Adelaide), Connor Rozee (North Adelaide), Luke Valente (Norwood)
Vic Country: Zane Barzen (Murray Bushrangers), Riley Bowman (Dandenong Stingrays), Jye Caldwell (Bendigo Pioneers), Sam Fletcher (Dandenong Stingrays), Hudson Garoni (Murray Bushrangers), Edward McHenry (Geelong Falcons), Sam Walsh (Geelong Falcons), Bailey Williams (Dandenong Stingrays)
Vic Metro: Jack Bytel (Calder Cannons), Buku Khamis (Western Jets), Ben King (Sandringham Dragons), Max King (Sandringham Dragons), Isaac Quaynor (Oakleigh Chargers), Bailey Smith (Sandringham Dragons), Curtis Taylor (Calder Cannons), Rhylee West (Calder Cannons)
Western Australia: Jason Carter (Claremont), Tom Joyce (East Fremantle) Ian Hill (Perth)
Northern Territory: Matt Green (Sporties Spitfires), Michael Mummery (Nightcliff)
Tasmania: Chayce Jones (Launceston), Tarryn Thomas (North Launceston)
The NAB AFL Academy is part of the NAB AFL Rising Star Program, which supports grassroots players and football communities and helps young Australians fulfil their dream of playing in the AFL. The NAB AFL Rising Stars Program comprises the following elements:
• NAB AFL Rising Star
• NAB AFL Draft
• NAB AFL Draft Combine
• NAB AFL Trade Period
• NAB AFL Under-18 Championships
• NAB AFL Academy
• NAB AFL Under-16 Championships
NAB has been supporting footy from grassroots to the elite level since 2002
