neafl article

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.
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