MELBOURNE’S Academy is set for a revamp in season 2020, as the club joins forces with the South East Juniors to enhance the league’s development programs for talented young players.

From next season onwards, the Melbourne Academy will have programs in place to allow footballers between the ages of 12 and 15 to best develop their skills, providing them with a pathway through the junior ranks.

Academy Manager Kyle Docherty says this new approach – which will see an Under 13s, 14s, and 15s age group for boys, and an Under 15s for girls – will significantly benefit the junior players involved.

“The main reason for an integrated approach is to avoid duplication and provide the best possible experience for talented footballers who play in the South East Juniors,” Docherty told Melbourne Media.

“The Melbourne Academy (the club’s Next Generation Academy) aims to provide development opportunities for talented players aged between 11 and 15, in the South East region of Victoria, as does the South East Juniors Development Program.

“It makes sense to combine these programs and avoid any duplication, pulling together resources to create the best possible experience for the players involved.

“This is only our third year of running talent programs in the South East – previously we have just worked in the Under 15s space – and we now feel we’re in a solid position to branch out into younger age groups.”

This new partnership module is an exciting opportunity for the club, while AFL South East Chief Operating Officer Shaun Connell is also thrilled to continue the relationship with the red and blue.

“AFL South East is pleased to strengthen its connection with the Melbourne Football Club through the integration of the Melbourne Academy into the South East Juniors development program,” Connell told Melbourne Media.

“It’s really important for all players of SEJ to be exposed to an elite development program focussed on developing players of all cultures and abilities.

“The partnership affirms the commitment of the Melbourne Football Club to the development of junior players in the South East Juniors.” 

All squads will commence training in the early months of 2020, and then represent the Melbourne Academy/South East Juniors at the South East Championships – a representative carnival incorporating various leagues in the South East region – on the Queen’s Birthday weekend.

The club would like to congratulate the following players for being selected (Under 13s and 14s squads will be announced early next year):

BOYS 

FROM

FIRST NAME

LAST NAME

NOBLE PARK

Rashad

ABDUL KHALEK

CORA LYNN

Caelan

ADDIS

NARRE NORTH

Josip

ALBERT

BERWICK

Riak

ANDREW

NARRE SOUTH 

Dylan

ARMSTRONG

PAKENHAM

Kynan

AUHL

NARRE SOUTH 

Ethan

BELL

BERWICK

Tige

BERGMAN

BERWICK SPRINGS

Jayden

BLACKMAN

BERWICK

Corey

BRADEN

TOORADIN DALMORE

Brody

CAMPBELL

OFFICER

Brody

CHASE

BERWICK SPRINGS

Luke

CORNISH

BEACONSFIELD

Christopher

CUDMORE

NOBLE PARK

Badr

DANDASH

BEACONSFIELD

Kade

DELARUE

ENDEAVOUR HILLS

Campbell

DUPUY

CORA LYNN

Jett

EDWARDS

PAKENHAM

Thomas

FALKINGHAM

ENDEAVOUR HILLS

Joe

FALLAH

BERWICK

Jackson

FERRIER

BERWICK SPRINGS

Samuel

FRANGALAS

CRANBOURNE

Bradley

FRATER

TOORADIN DALMORE

Fergus

GOLDBERG

PAKENHAM

Toby

GOSWELL

BEACONSFIELD

Jack

GRIST

NARRE NORTH

Jeran

GUNARATNAM

BERWICK

Brody

HILL

BEACONSFIELD

Logan

HISCOCK

ENDEAVOUR HILLS

Dejan

JANJIC

TOORADIN DALMORE

Tyler

KIRKBRIDE

BERWICK

Noah

LAFRANTZ

NARRE SOUTH 

Jordan

LEVEQUE

BERWICK SPRINGS

Dean

MILIVOJEVIC

BEACONSFIELD

Luke

MORRELL

HAMPTON PARK

Murharem

MUJA

NARRE SOUTH 

Ethan

PAUL

BERWICK

Daniel

PINTER

KOO WEE RUP

Benjamin

PUGSLEY

BEACONSFIELD

Jamie

ROBERTS

BERWICK

Phillip

RODWELL

PAKENHAM

Kane

RUDY

BEACONSFIELD

Andrew

SAMAWI

BERWICK

Brayden

SAUNDERS

BEACONSFIELD

Kobe

SHIPP

NARRE NORTH

Patrick

SINNEMA

BEACONSFIELD

Curtis

STEPHENS

HAMPTON PARK

Kenneth

THONG

NARRE SOUTH 

Jack

WILSON

PAKENHAM

Kobe

WILSON

BERWICK

Sam

WOODWARD


GIRLS 

FROM

FIRST NAME

LAST NAME

PAKENHAM

Jessica

Banks

OFFICER

Chelsea

Barkwith

PAKENHAM

Zoe

Baxter

BERWICK SPRINGS

Lucy

Brady

NARRE NORTH

Tara

Bratic

NARRE WARREN

Meg

Buhagiar

NARRE NORTH

Elouise

Ciccia

NARRE NORTH

Tahlia

Cipriani

BERWICK

Zahra

Clavarino

CRANBOURNE

Kheely

Cornwall

BEACONSFIELD

Chloe

Colbert

OFFICER

Shelby

Crothers

BEACONSFIELD

Abbey

Dibben

BERWICK SPRINGS

Keeley

Finegan

PAKENHAM

Katie Lea

Granger

NARRE SOUTH

Tayah

Grech

PAKENHAM

Shanae

Hawker

BERWICK SPRINGS

Regan

Hibberson-Dumergue

PAKENHAM

Alyssa

Hobson

BEACONSFIELD

Emily

Hotchkin

BERWICK SPRINGS

Mary

Howe

NARRE SOUTH

Aiesha

Kolaritsch

NARRE NORTH

Alyssa

La Rocca

BERWICK

Elisha

Lane

PAKENHAM

Abbey

Mckenzie

NARRE SOUTH

Paige

Medler

NARRE NORTH

Tyler

Mills

BEACONSFIELD

Georgia

Miller

BEACONSFIELD

Jasmin

Nation

NARRE NORTH

Jessica

Pacevski

BEACONSFIELD

Hailie

Pastras

BERWICK

Sienna

Pinnoch

OFFICER

Brooke

Purcell

BERWICK

Meg

Robertson

BEACONSFIELD

Taylah

Scott

PAKENHAM

Sophie

Simpson

BERWICK

Elizabeth

Thomas

NARRE NORTH

Ashleigh

Thomson

BERWICK

Shauna

Vernon

PAKENHAM

Jaylee

Virgona

CRANBOURNE

Emerald

Wood