MELBOURNE recently welcomed some of its top Next Generation Academy (NGA) prospects to spend a day at the football club as part of their ongoing player development.
The athletes, aged between 14-18 years of age, were identified whilst participating in regional programs such as the AFL Victoria Kickstart & All Nations trials, South East Juniors & Mornington Peninsula Junior Football League Interleague, Neville Jetta Squad (Dandenong Stingrays), Melbourne NGA “Come and Try” events and AFL Central Australia Junior Football League (NT).
The players were invited to spend the day at AAMI Park where activities included a parent information session, a tour of the training facilities, personal development and a skills session with Melbourne’s AFLW senior coach, Mick Stinear.
The aim of the NGA to encourage, develop and enhance participation for talented players, both male and female, with an additional focus on creating more opportunities for multicultural and Indigenous participants.
Melbourne’s NGA is run in partnership with the Dandenong Stingrays, AFL South East, AFL NT and respective local leagues to ensure continuity for players throughout the talent pathway so they can develop to their full potential.
The players will continue to participate in development sessions both at Casey Fields and AAMI Park, with their progression to be monitored through the Dandenong Stingrays TAC program.
In the future, multicultural or Indigenous players who have graduated through Melbourne’s NGA zone and meet the required criteria, will be eligible to be drafted to Melbourne’s AFL side via an NGA concession system.
List of approved Melbourne NGA players who will partake in development sessions with the football club moving forward:
- Kobi George (VIC)
- Cody Egan (VIC)
- Deakin Pereira (VIC)
- Ryan Koo Kwet Kim (VIC)
- Deakyn Smith (VIC)
- Declan Gould (VIC) - Pending
- Andrew Moniz-Wakefield (NT)
- Reggie Gallagher (NT)
