The AFL has released the fixture for the 2022 NAB League Boys under 19 talent pathway competition, which starts on Saturday 2 April and will showcase many future stars of the men's game.
After two years disrupted by the pandemic, the 2022 season will feature 12 teams from Victoria and the Tasmania Devils competing in a 13-game home-and-away fixture.
At the conclusion of the home-and-away season, the top three teams will have a week off while the remaining 10 teams will contest a Wildcard Round on 27/28 August to determine positions four to eight. This system gives all teams the opportunity to contest a final and is in line with focus of the competition being on player development.
A three-week knockout finals series starting on the weekend of 3/4 September will feature the top eight sides, culminating in the NAB League Boys Grand Final on Saturday 17 September.
Teams representing the GWS Giants, Sydney Swans, Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns Academies will be part of the first four weeks of the season, while the Northern Territory is fixtured to play in Rounds Three, Four and Five. This gives players from Queensland, New South Wales/ACT and the Northern Territory the opportunity to compete against the most talented young footballers from Victoria and Tasmania.
The Calder Cannons and GWS Giants Academy get the season underway in the first match of a double-header at Craigieburn on Saturday 2 April, which will be followed by Northern Knights v Sydney Swans Academy.
Also on Saturday, regional rivals the Bendigo Pioneers and Greater Western Victoria Rebels clash in Bendigo, the Dandenong Stingrays host Eastern Ranges at SkyBus Stadium in Frankston and the Murray Bushrangers take on Gippsland Power in Seaford.
Another three opening round matches are scheduled for Sunday 3 April, with a double-header at Craigieburn starting with Western Jets v Brisbane Lions Academy followed by Geelong v Gold Coast Academy. A good crowd is expected at the Sandringham Dragons v Oakleigh Chargers contest at RSEA Park in Moorabbin.
NAB LEAGUE BOYS 2022 - ROUND ONE
Saturday 2 April
Calder Cannons v GWS Giants - Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn, 11.45am
Bendigo Pioneers v GWV Rebels – QEO, Bendigo, 2.00pm
Northern Knights v Sydney Swans - Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn, 2.15pm
Dandenong Stingrays v Eastern Ranges - SkyBus Stadium, Frankston, 3.00pm
Murray Bushrangers v Gippsland Power – Linen House Oval, Seaford, 3.00pm
Sunday 3 April
Western Jets v Brisbane Lions - Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn, 12.00pm
Sandringham Dragons v Oakleigh Chargers - RSEA Park, Moorabbin, 1.00pm
Geelong Falcons v Gold Coast Suns - Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn, 2.30pm
Bye: Tasmania
Click here to view the full NAB League Boys 2022 season fixture
As part of the partnership between the AFL and News Corp Australia, the Herald Sun will continue to live stream one NAB League Boys match per week in 2022, with all remaining matches to be live streamed on the NAB League App.
The NAB League App is available via the Apple and Google app stores. All NAB League Girls and Boys matches will be available to watch on demand via the NAB League App.
The NAB League Boys Morrish Medal will be awarded to the competition's best-and-fairest player as judged by the field umpires who will record their selection of the three best-and-fairest players in the match in order of preference.
In 2021 the NAB League Boys season was called off early because of Victorian Government rules and restrictions caused by the pandemic. Sandringham Dragons were sitting on top of the ladder with GWV Rebels, Northern Knights and Bendigo Pioneers rounding out the top four. With the 2020 season cancelled, the last NAB League Boys premiership was won by Oakleigh Chargers in 2019.
Even though last season ended prematurely, 43 of the 83 players taken in the 2021 AFL Draft were from the NAB League, highlighting the competition's strength in producing many of the future stars of the men's game.
While COVID-19 continues to impact the community, the health and welfare of players and the community remains the priority and all matches will operate in a safe manner based on advice of respective governments, public health officials and medical experts. Protocols are in place to protect players, officials, staff and the wider public at training and matches. These have been communicated to the programs. In November, the AFL released its Vaccination Policy for Talent Pathway Programs and Competitions, which applies to the NAB League competitions and can be viewed here.