WITH a massively successful 2019 NAB League season in the books, it is almost time for the Under-18s development league to start back once more. A combined 60 players were drafted across the boys and girls leagues in 2019, making this season an interesting one with plenty of young talent hoping to break into contention. The NAB League Girls season will run for 10 weeks with two weeks of finals action, while the NAB League Boys will run for 19 weeks, following by a Wildcard Round and then four-week finals series as per the same as last year.
“In just one season the NAB League has had a major impact on the AFL/AFLW national drafts with more than 50 per cent of the total draftees coming from the NAB League,” AFL Head of Talent Pathways and State League Competitions, Tristan Salter. said “Our aim is to continue to build a professional environment across both the girls and boys’ competitions that exposes the players to the best coaching, facilities, training and development.”
The 2020 season of NAB League boys will begin on Saturday, March 21, and will see academy sides in Gold Coast Suns, Brisbane Lions, Sydney Swans, GWS Giants and Northern Territory return once more. Key dates for the season are the annual ‘Country Round’, scheduled for early April, with a Queens Birthday clash between Sandringham Dragons and Oakley Chargers on Friday July 5. The season will end with triple headers at Avalon Airport Oval and Mars Stadium Ballarat respectively, with Wildcard round the following weekend of August 22.
Among big match-ups for both leagues are respective 2019 Grand final rematches, which sees Eastern Ranges take on premiers, Oakleigh Chargers in Round 3 (April 5) while in the girls competition, premiers Northern Knights host a massive Round 1 clash against Calder Cannons to start the season with a bang (February 29).
Under-18 girls matches will open for three AFL Women’s fixtures this season, and Tasmania Devils will be joining the NAB League Girls full time in 2020 after a successful introduction to the Boys’ competition in 2019. Northern Territory follows Tasmania’s pathway from 2019, playing three matches in the league, while both Queensland pathways in Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns will play invitationals in early May.
Northern Territory will host both girls and boys teams in Darwin in a double header in April, with selected girls fixtures streamed and all boys fixtures live-streamed.
Fixtures will be available on the website shortly.
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