Jack Sears and Tyrone Thorne named in NAB AFL Academy Squad

The AFL has announced that 28 West Australian players will be part of the 2018-19 NAB AFL Academy squads.

The expanded NAB AFL Academy Program will now see 150 players engaged in high performance camps conducted across five talent regions; Vic Country, Vic Metro, South Australia, Western Australia and Allies (New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, Queensland and the Northern Territory). 

The Academies will come together for their first camps in the coming weeks, with Western Australia's to be held from December 10 to 15.

WAFC State 18s Coach Coordinator Peter Sumich has been appointed as WA's Academy squad coach.

AFL Head of Talent Tristan Salter said it is an exciting time for the country’s best young talent.

“The new approach to the national Academy will ensure more of our most talented players have access to AFL facilities, while receiving the best quality coaching, high performance and wellbeing services in the country,” he said.

“Importantly these players will spend more time in their home state, with year-round first-class support that will enhance their opportunity to perform at an elite level through the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.

“I congratulate all who have been named in squads today and I look forward to watching their development over the next 12-24 months.”

The best Under-17 and Under-18 players from the state academies will also have the opportunity to attend national camps. This will be overseen by Marcus Ashcroft and Luke Power. These activities include:

December 2018 - Under-17 Futures Game players to spend a week at an AFL club

April 2019 - Best 25 Under-18 players to represent Australia against VFL opposition

April 2019 - Best 25 Under-17 players to represent Australia against New Zealand

September 2019 - Under-17 Futures Game – played on Toyota AFL Grand Final Day

This is the twenty-second NAB AFL Academy intake. Since 1997 490 Academy players (81 per cent of NAB AFL Academy players) have been drafted to AFL clubs. Other highlights include:

• 47 AFL All-Australians (including from this year’s team Shannon Hurn, Lachie Whitfield, Andrew Gaff, Steele Sidebottom, Paddy Dangerfield, Lance Franklin, Tom Mitchell and Brodie Grundy)
• Eight NAB AFL Rising Star winners (Brett Deledio, Joel Selwood, Daniel Rich, Jaeger O’Meara, Lewis Taylor, Jesse Hogan, Callum Mills and Jaidyn Stephenson)
• Five Brownlow Medalists (Chris Judd, Trent Cotchin, Paddy Dangerfield, Tom Mitchell and Adam Cooney)
• 18 of the last 20 years since its inception players selected number one in the NAB AFL Draft including Cameron Rayner in 2017

WA Players - 2018-19 NAB AFL Academy

Jack Buller - Claremont/Christ Church Grammar School

Anthony Davis - Claremont/Hale School

Rhai Arn Cox - East Perth/Mt Lawley

Jermal Daly - Swan Districts/South Hedland

Riley Garcia - Swan Districts/Caversham

Mitchell Georgiades - Subiaco/Hale School

Denver Grainger-Barras - Swan Districts/Kalamunda

Liam Henry - Claremont/Christ Church Grammar School

Ryan Hudson - West Perth/Scotch College/

Luke Jackson - East Fremantle/Bullcreek Leeming

Michael Mallard - West Perth/Wanneroo

Nicholas Martin - Subiaco/Trinity College

Logan McDonald - Perth/Aquinas College

Nathan O'Driscoll - Perth/Northam Saints

Jake Pasini - Swan Districts/Caversham

Jaxon Prior - West Perth/Sorrento Duncraig

Trent Rivers - East Fremantle/Bullcreek Leeming

Deven Robertson - Perth/Aquinas College

Trey Ruscoe - East Fremantle/Aquinas College

Ty Sears - Swan Districts/South Bunbury

Elijah Taylor - Perth/Thornlie

Jack Sears - Peel Thunder/South Mandurah

Jeremy Sharp - East Fremantle/Aquinas College

Bailey Smith - Perth/Thornlie             

Tyrone Thorne - Peel Thunder/Rockingham

Zane Trew - Swan Districts/Hills Rangers

Brandon Walker - East Fremantle/Kardinya Kats

Joel Western - Claremont/Western Tigers

Photo: Luke Jackson by AFL Photos