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NEAFL ARTICLE By JOHN FORRESTER By Natasha Lorenz THE SWANS ACADEMY IS IN ITS INAUGURAL YEAR AND ALREADY THERE ARE 410 PLAYERS REGISTERED TO THE SEVEN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NSW ACADEMIES. SOME OF THE ACADEMY PLAYERS ARE BEING USED AS TOP UP PLAYERS FOR THE SWANS RESERVES AFTER 103 WERE USED IN THE RESERVES LAST YEAR. TALENT IDENTIFICATION AND OPERATIONS MANAGER OF THE SWANS ACADEMY, CHRIS SMITH KNOWS THAT USING THE ACADEMY PLAYERS AS TOP UPS EACH WEEK ALLOWS THE SWANS TO BUILD ON THEIR TEAM. “What we needed to provide to the better boys was an ongoing and meaningful program. By allowing them to play in the actual competition on an ongoing basis not only provides real benefits to these kids but it also helps our team as well, it helps with our structures, with our game plan,” Smith said. One reason the Academies were set up was because of the dwindling numbers of players being recruited out of NSW and Queensland. It may take some time for the numbers to improve in NSW and Queensland with only eight percent of listed AFL players coming from the two states, though the Swans are hoping with the introduction of the Academies the numbers will change. “It is roughly just under three percent who come from NSW. The idea for us is that both the GIANTS and the Sydney Swans work together, we believe that if we can introduce these Academy programs and be very successful at it, we should be able to see considerable improvements or introductions of NSW and Queensland kids into the AFL system,” Smith said. THE ACADEMIES ARE BASED IN NON-TRADITIONAL AFL STATES TO SHOWCASE THE SPORT. THE SWANS CONDUCTED TRIALS LAST YEAR FOR BOYS AGED BETWEEN 11-18 YEARS TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO BE SELECTED IN THE SWANS ACADEMY. “The idea is to provide these kids with elite coaching and elite training environments together with top range football programs in the hope of fast tracking these boys in to becoming the AFL players of tomorrow. The boys still participate in their club football and club football training but the added Academy provides them with formal hours that we believe they need prior to their draft age,” Smith said. The Swans Academy is a new program with Academies based in different regions across NSW. 10
The Swans Academy allows the young athletes to participate in training for 22 weeks twice a week where they are guided by experienced coaches employed by the Swans. “I think it is important that we do provide the opportunity for as many gifted kids as possible. The hope is if we can give them a good program for six to seven years something above and beyond they would have normally done,” Smith said. There is a big margin between players from NSW and Queensland and prominent AFL states. Smith knows that the better players will have to be found through the draft but hopes to even out the numbers with the introduction of the Academies. “IT IS NOT NECESSARILY AN ADVANTAGE THAT WE ARE AFTER; BASICALLY IT IS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. YOU LOOK AT YOUR BRISBANE, GOLD COAST, THE GIANTS AND THE SYDNEY SWANS, NEARLY 80% OF OUR LIST ARE PREDOMINANTLY MADE OF PLAYERS FROM INTERSTATE, WHERE THE OTHER SOUTHERN TEAMS, THE TEAMS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 80% OF THEIR LIST ARE MADE UP OF LOCAL TALENT,” SMITH SAID. The Sydney Swans Reserves travel to Newcastle to take on reigning premiers Ainslie in a top of the table clash. It is sure to be a draw card for the locals with young Academy players from the Northern Academy regions playing for the Swans Reserves as top up players. The players include Mitch Crawford and Jack Pratt from the Hunter Academy, Jonathan Gourlay from the Central Coast Academy and Brendan Nelson from the Coffs Harbour Academy. This is sure to give locals a look at how the Academies can produce some young AFL stars out of NSW. 11
Page 1 and 2: RECORD
Page 3 and 4: INSIDE BOUNDARY LINE 2 COUNTRY TO C
Page 6 and 7: NEAFL ARTICLE COUNTRY TO CANBERRA B
Page 8 and 9: NEAFL ARTICLE by Michael Minns By J
Page 10 and 11: NEAFL ARTICLE By JOHN FORRESTER ER
Page 14 and 15: NEAFL ARTICLE CELEBRATIONS ALL ROUN
Page 16 and 17: NEAFL ARTICLE PREPARING FOR PERFORM
Page 18 and 19: NEAFL ARTICLE CLUB NEWS By JOHN FOR
Page 24 and 25: NEAFL ARTICLE ROUND 8 RESULTS - 201
Page 26 and 27: DIV 2 NEAFL ARTICLE TEAMLISTS No. N
Page 28 and 29: NEAFL ARTICLE ROUND 8 RESULTS - 201
Page 30 and 31: NEAFL LEADING ARTICLE GOAL KICKERS
Page 32: North East Australian Football Leag

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