Hura inducted into AFL Academy

ONE of Peel’s brightest talents is set to blossom, with 16-year-old Noah Hura named in the latest intake of the Level One NAB AFL Academy.

Hailing from Mandurah Centrals, Hura is an athletic defender who, with fellow Peel teammate and South Mandurah midfielder Michael Humble, represented Western Australia in the NAB Under 16s national championships on the Gold Coast in July.

Hura is one of six WA-based players in the 25-man squad, who will become eligible for the draft in 2016.

A member of the Peel Thunder Under 16s leadership group, he embodies the modern-day footballer, and he is capable of also running through the midfield.

Peel player development manager John Deitz said Hura’s elite athletic attributes made him an enticing future prospect.

“A good reader of the play, Hura has the versatility to match up with tall and small forwards, and his strong hands make him formidable in the air,” Deitz said.

“While Hura possesses great leadership skills, his competitive drive and ability to get the best out of himself resulted in his selection in the Western Australia Under 16s squad as an early intake player.”

Many Peel players have been involved with the Academy in the past, with young gun Brad Walsh in the 2013-2014 intake.

The WA Under 18s captain will graduate from the Level Two Academy this year, which included a tour of Europe, which he described as the best experience of his life.