THE NAB AFL Academy has introduced a 'development list' of tall draft prospects as it aims to cater to the growing demands for key position players at the next level.
The League on Thursday announced its level one academy group, which will consist of 22 players eligible for the draft in 2019.
It also named its first development list squad of eight players in a move that was first signaled to clubs earlier this year.
"In addition to the NAB AFL Academy level one group, the AFL has introduced a new development list to meet the needs of the industry comprising of taller players aiming to play in the ruck or key positions in the AFL," the League's national and international talent manager Kevin Sheehan said.
Included in the level one squad, which was picked after the mid-year NAB AFL Under-16 Championships, is Hewago Paul Oea, who played in the recent International Cup for Papua New Guinea.
Noah Anderson, the son of former Saint and Hawk Dean, is among seven representatives from Vic Metro in the squad after a promising under-16s carnival.
Anderson is viewed as one of the top talents in the 2019 draft pool, but isn't eligible to either St Kilda or Hawthorn as a father-son pick as Dean did not play 100 games for either club.
The academy will come together for its first camp in Melbourne in December. The level two squad, featuring players eligible for the 2018 draft, will be released later in the year following the NAB AFL All Stars game in Grand Final week.
Level one NAB AFL Academy
NSW/ACT: Liam Delahunty (Coolamon), Josh Rayner (Willoughby/Mossman – Sydney Swans academy)
Queensland: Connor Budarick (Labrador), Hewago Paul Oea (Papua New Guinea/Port Moresby)
South Australia: Kysaiah Pickett (Woodville-West Torrens/Port Districts), Dylan Stephens (Norwood/Walkerville), Cameron Taheny (Norwood/Eastern Ranges)
Vic Country: Sam Flanders (Gippsland Power/Fish Creek), Brodie Kemp (Bendigo Pioneers/Echuca), Caleb Serong (Gippsland Power/Warragul), Cooper Stephens (Geelong Falcons/Colac), Hayden Young (Dandenong Stingrays/Somerville)
Vic Metro: Noah Anderson (Oakleigh Chargers/Boroondara), Emerson Jeka (Western Jets/Altona), Jack Mahoney (Sandringham Dragons/St Kevin's College), Fischer McAsey (Sandringham Dragons/East Brighton), Jamieson Rossiter (Eastern Ranges/Rowville/Rowville Sports Academy), Matt Rowell (Oakleigh Chargers/Boroondara), Dylan Williams (Oakleigh Chargers/Surrey Park)
Western Australia: Rhai Arn Cox (East Perth/Mt Lawley), Luke Jackson (East Fremantle/Bullcreek Leeming), Devon Robertson (Perth/Aquinas College)
Development list: Jack Buller (WA/Claremont/Christchurch Grammar), Matthew Conroy (QLD/Townsville/Gold Coast academy), Andrew Courtney (Vic Metro/Sandringham Dragons/Beaumaris), Anthony Davis (WA/Claremont/Hale), Aaron Gundry (Vic Country/Bendigo Pioneers/Sandhurst), Harry Ireland (Tasmania/Hobart City), Bigoa Nyuon (Vic Country/Dandenong Stingrays/Rowville Sports academy), Jeremy O'Sullivan (Vic Metro/Calder Cannons/St Bernard's)
