World Footy News

In 2009, the AFL announced the Sydney Swans, GWS GIANTS, Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast will set up high performance Academies to provide a pathway for young local athletes to an AFL career.

Each club has exclusive access to athletes aged as young as nine from its own zones within NSW, the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland. On Monday, the Swans Academy will play the GIANTS Academy for the very first time. NSW, Queensland and the ACT account for 54 per cent of Australia's population but they provide just 12 per cent of AFL players.

The four club based Academies aim to reduce this gap and provide talented athletes with high level coaching, tuition and training to fast-track player development.

The Under-16 Joss State Zone Trials will see the top Under-16 AFL talented players travel to Sydney from seven zones in NSW and the ACT. Last year, a record 18 NSW/ACT players were listed by AFL clubs, all of which came through the Zone Trials. This year’s event will also include an Oceania team for the very first time – comprised of international players from Fiji, Nauru, Tonga, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Samoa.

The Sydney Swans Academy team will play the GWS GIANTS Academy team at 11am. The Joss State Zone Trials and the introduction of the Sydney Swans and GWS GIANTS Academies as well as an Oceania team provides a great snapshot of the talent coming through NSW, the ACT and abroad.

At the conclusion of the five-day trials, newly appointed Under-16 RAMS coach Tom Harley and his selection panel will choose the NSW/ACT RAMS squad to compete in the NAB National Championships later this year.