Three young Queenslanders have been selected to take part in a special AFL academy curtain raiser, prior to this Sunday’s Carlton v Essendon showdown at the MCG.
The two teams are named after successful academy products, Jacob Weitering and Joe Daniher, who’ll both be closely watching on Sunday as the academy players take another step toward being drafted.
Lining up for team Weitering will be 199cm key forward prospect Connor Ballenden from the Brisbane Lions Academy, beside exciting SUNS Academy medium defender Kwaby Boakye.
SUNS ruckman Brayden Crossley will be the other Queenslander to take the field, suiting up for team Daniher. Crossley has been described by Queensland Talent and High Performance Manager Adrian Fletcher as ‘Shane Mumford all over.’
Coaching team Weitering will be Academy Assistant Coach Nick Dal Santo, while Academy Head Coach Luke Power will be sitting in the coach’s chair for team Daniher.
The game is part of a 10 day camp for NAB AFL Academy participants, that gives players a look at what life is like as an AFL footballer. It’s also a celebration of the 20 years of the academy.
After the match on Sunday, an under 18 team will be chosen to play the Northern Blues VFL side at Etihad on the 15th of April.
The NAB AFL Academy is part of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, an initiative that helps out football communities by supporting young players with the desire to play AFL.
Team lists:
TEAM WEITERING
|
NO. |
NAME |
DOB |
HEIGHT |
WEIGHT |
CLUB |
|
1 |
Charlie Spargo |
25.11.99 |
174cm |
72kg |
Murray Bushrangers / NSW |
|
4 |
Izak Rankine |
23.04.00 |
178cm |
72kg |
West Adelaide / SA |
|
5 |
Lachlan Fogarty |
01.04.99 |
179cm |
75kg |
Western Jets / VIC Metro |
|
6 |
Rylee West |
12.07.00 |
181cm |
80kg |
Calder Cannons / VIC Metro |
|
7 |
Jack Powell |
15.07.99 |
181cm |
81kg |
GIANTS Academy / NSW |
|
8 |
Connor Rozee |
22.01.00 |
184cm |
71kg |
North Adelaide / SA |
|
9 |
Luke Valente |
08.05.00 |
186cm |
73kg |
Norwood / SA |
|
11 |
Lochie O’Brien |
18.09.99 |
184cm |
78kg |
Bendigo Pioneers / VIC Country |
|
12 |
Buku Khamis |
24.03.00 |
188cm |
83kg |
Western Jets / VIC Metro |
|
14 |
James Worpel |
24.01.99 |
186cm |
84kg |
Geelong Falcons / VIC Country |
|
15 |
Jack Bytel |
14.03.00 |
187cm |
79kg |
Calder Cannons / VIC Metro |
|
16 |
Hunter Clark |
26.03.99 |
186cm |
78kg |
Dandenong Stingrays / VIC Country |
|
17 |
Dominic Grant |
29.01.99 |
187cm |
79kg |
Wanderers / NT |
|
18 |
Luke Davies-Uniacke |
08.06.99 |
188cm |
84kg |
Dandenong Stingrays / VIC Country |
|
19 |
Darcy Fogarty |
25.09.99 |
192cm |
88kg |
Glenelg / SA |
|
20 |
Zane Barzen |
29.10.00 |
190cm |
74kg |
Murray Bushrangers / VIC Metro |
|
21 |
Jarrod Brander |
11.02.99 |
194cm |
89kg |
Bendigo Pioneers / NSW |
|
22 |
Oscar Clavarino |
22.05.99 |
195cm |
85kg |
Dandenong Stingrays / Vic Country |
|
25 |
Kwaby Boakye |
16.03.99 |
186cm |
88kg |
SUNS Academy / QLD |
|
27 |
Max King |
07.07.00 |
200cm |
84kg |
Sandringham Dragons / VIC Metro |
|
28 |
Ben King |
07.07.00 |
199cm |
83kg |
Sandrinham Dragons / VIC Metro |
|
29 |
Changkuoth Jiath |
13.06.99 |
185cm |
75kg |
Gippsland Power / VIC Country |
|
32 |
Connor Ballenden |
29.03.99 |
199cm |
96kg |
LIONS Academy / QLD |
|
33 |
Callum Coleman-Jones |
13.06.99 |
199cm |
98kg |
Sturt / SA |
|
34 |
Hudson Garoni |
25.08.00 |
193cm |
91kg |
Murray Bushrangers / VIC Country |
|
35 |
Sam Hayes |
09.06.99 |
200cm |
90kg |
Eatern Ranges / VIC Metro |
TEAM DANIHER
|
NO. |
NAME |
DOB |
HEIGHT |
WEIGHT |
CLUB |
|
2 |
Cameron Rayner |
21.10.99 |
188cm |
86kg |
Western Jets / VIC Metro |
|
3 |
Chayce Jones |
14.01.00 |
179cm |
73kg |
Launceston / TAS |
|
4 |
Jack Higgins |
19.03.99 |
178cm |
74kg |
Oakleigh Chargers / VIC Metro |
|
5 |
Sam Walsh |
02.07.00 |
182cm |
69kg |
Geelong Falcons / VIC Country |
|
6 |
Patrick Naish |
15.01.99 |
183cm |
73kg |
Northern Knights / VIC Metro |
|
8 |
Kane Farrell |
17.03.99 |
181cm |
72kg |
Bendigo Pioneers / VIC Country |
|
9 |
Jake Patmore |
29.01.99 |
181cm |
76kg |
Claremont / WA |
|
10 |
Aidan Quigley |
07.05.99 |
184cm |
76kg |
Gippsland Power / VIC Country |
|
12 |
Jye Caldwell |
28.09.00 |
183cm |
76kg |
Bendigo Pioneers / VIC Country |
|
13 |
Joel Garner |
21.05.99 |
184cm |
78kg |
Eastern Ranges / VIC Metro |
|
14 |
Jordan Houlahan |
15.02.99 |
186cm |
75kg |
Sturt / SA |
|
15 |
Jaidyn Stephenson |
15.01.99 |
187cm |
77kg |
Eastern Ranges / |
|
17 |
Tarryn Thomas |
25.03.00 |
188cm |
72kg |
North Launceston / TAS |
|
19 |
Jackson Hately |
21.10.00 |
191cm |
82kg |
Central Districts / SA |
|
20 |
Andrew McPherson |
20.06.99 |
186cm |
75kg |
Woodville West Torrens / SA |
|
21 |
Sam Taylor |
05.05.99 |
194cm |
82kg |
Swan Districts / WA |
|
23 |
Thomas Schmusch |
05.03.99 |
192cm |
82kg |
Woodville West Torrens / SA |
|
24 |
Jack Lukosius |
09.08.00 |
194cm |
83kg |
Woodville West Torrens / SA |
|
25 |
Noah Balta |
23.10.99 |
195cm |
90kg |
Calder Cannons / VIC Metro |
|
30 |
Tom De Koning |
16.07.99 |
200cm |
88kg |
Dandenong Stingrays / VIC Country |
|
31 |
Paddy Dow |
16.10.99 |
187cm |
82kg |
Bendigo Pioneers / Vic Country |
|
32 |
Brayden Crossley |
16.08.99 |
199cm |
103kg |
SUNS Academy / QLD |
|
33 |
Nathan Richards |
11.02.99 |
199cm |
103kg |
GIANTS Academy / NSW |
|
34 |
Hugo Munn |
03.04.00 |
196cm |
92kg |
Sturt / SA |
|
35 |
Hayden McLean |
20.01.99 |
196cm |
92kg |
Sandringham Dragons / VIC Metro |
By Sean Melrose.
Twitter: @seanmelrose
