BRENTON Sanderson will use his experience at the helm of Adelaide to simulate life at an AFL club for players in the NAB AFL Academy, after being appointed as the academy's head coach.
Sanderson was sensationally sacked as senior coach of the Crows in September last year after three seasons at West Lakes.
In his new role, which he'll take up at the end of January, Sanderson will guide the development of the most talented teenagers in the country who will be picked from the Under-16 and Under-18 Championships.
He said his main focus would be to make sure young players were ready for life at an AFL club, with the program to "simulate an AFL week" for its young participants.
"When you get drafted, nothing can prepare you for your first week on an AFL list," Sanderson told SEN.
"It's just really mind-blowing.
"What I want to try and do as best I can is replicate the on-field and off-field challenges those players are going to be presented with.
"Things like winning the ball, decision making, reading the game we'll certainly be teaching that as best we can, but also the off-field stuff, things around culture, like values and standards and exercise science, nutrition, hydration, recovery stuff they do at AFL level.
"We'll help them with some public speaking and media training, leadership, goal setting … and also prepare them as best we can for all of those challenges being on an AFL list does present.
"It's a big job, something I'm really passionate about and looking forward to undertaking."
Since being sacked by the Crows, Sanderson has enjoyed spending time with his one-year old daughter but also set himself the goal of "getting better" in his profession.
He said he "jumped at the chance" to take on the role, where he planned to work closely with the state academy coaches to make sure all players were being coached under the "modern game framework".
"I think it's a fantastic role and something I can add value to, having just come out of coaching an AFL side," he said.
"I think I can provide a great skill set for these younger players who need to make the jump from under age or school footy onto an AFL list.
"I know the AFL are keen to ensure this program keeps getting better and better and I think I can help that.
The AFL's general manager of football operations Mark Evans said Sanderson would play a vital role in preparing young players for the AFL.
"The transition from underage junior football to the senior AFL competition is the largest step in the game for our elite juniors," Evans said.
"Match-specific coaching that will be led by Brenton centres around areas including skill acquisition, game awareness, contested ball-winning, decision-making and physical preparation."
Sanderson joins a team already containing some of the greatest AFL players of the modern era.
Brad Johnson, Glen Jakovich, Tadhg Kennelly and Brad Ottens all coach in the AFL Academy system.
Sanderson, who played 209 games for Adelaide, Collingwood and Geelong said he had a strong connection to the program from early in his playing career.
“I was part of the first Australian under-18 squad to tour Ireland in 1991 and have always had enormous respect for the program," Sanderson said.
"Having coached at AFL level, I knew I could offer the required skill set to help the narrow the gap between the jump from underage competition to an AFL list."
