{"id":22704,"date":"2016-08-03T11:12:45","date_gmt":"2016-08-03T01:12:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/afldraftcentral.com.au\/?p=22704"},"modified":"2017-06-18T14:26:45","modified_gmt":"2017-06-18T04:26:45","slug":"afl-academy-squads-named","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2016\/08\/03\/afl-academy-squads-named\/","title":{"rendered":"2017 AFL Academy squads named"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Vic Country\u00a0midfielder <strong>James Worpel<\/strong> heads the list of inclusions for the 2016\/17 AFL Academy squad that was named today.<\/p>\n<p>Worpel missed selection for the Level One squad in 2015, but after a stellar Under 18 Championship for Vic Country averaging 15 disposals, he was added into the Level Two squad.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ASCk7H39sDA\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ASCk7H39sDA<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The eligible squad for next year&#8217;s draft will take part in a program run by former Adelaide coach and current academy head coach<strong> Brenton Sanderson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Although this year&#8217;s AFL Draft pool looks strong for midfielders at the top end, a number of taller names have already shown enough in 2016 to suggest they&#8217;ll be early picks for the 2017 draft held in Sydney.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Eastern Ranges<\/strong> talls <strong>Sam Hayes<\/strong> and <strong>Jaidyn Stephenson<\/strong> are two likely high picks, showing plenty of good signs inside forward 50 throughout the season.<\/p>\n<p>Hayes was the only bottom ager in the Under 18 All Australian team named in July and showed he can play as a marking tall inside 50 and work through the ruck.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BQka9OsdRVA\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BQka9OsdRVA<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><u><a href=\"https:\/\/afldraftcentral.com.au\/2016\/07\/25\/20-division-one-names-to-watch-out-for-in-2017\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20 DIVISION ONE NAMES TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2017<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Vic Metro&#8217;s <strong>Jack Higgins<\/strong> will likely warrant an early pick in 2017, continuing to find the football as a bottom ager throughout the TAC Cup with the Chargers and for Vic Metro.<\/p>\n<p>Possible<strong> Richmond<\/strong> father-son <strong>Patrick Naish<\/strong> also made the squad, after showing glimpses across half back for <strong>Northern Knights<\/strong> in the TAC Cup.<\/p>\n<p>His father, Chris, played 153 games for the Tigers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BrettAndersonIF\/status\/718607646098468864\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/BrettAndersonIF\/status\/718607646098468864<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>NSW\/ACT<\/strong> themselves are duly represented with six players making the Level One and Two squads.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><u><a href=\"https:\/\/afldraftcentral.com.au\/2016\/06\/09\/15-division-two-names-to-watch-out-for-in-2017\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">15 DIVISION TWO NAMES TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2017<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The level one academy group, for 2018 draft prospects, will be made up of seven \u00a0<strong>South Australians<\/strong>\u00a0after they took out the recent Under 16 championships.<\/p>\n<p>Kevin Sheehan Medalist <strong>Connor Rozee\u00a0<\/strong>will be a name to keep an eye on in the future after dominating the championships in the midfielder for South Australia.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><u><a href=\"https:\/\/afldraftcentral.com.au\/2016\/07\/14\/south-australia-crowned-as-u16-division-one-champions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SOUTH AUSTRALIA CROWNED AS U16 DIVISION ONE CHAMPIONS<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">U16 National Carnival MVP receiving the Kevin Sheehan medal was Connor Rozee of North Adelaide. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QXzoJFf3yu\">pic.twitter.com\/QXzoJFf3yu<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; McDonald&#39;s SA U18s (@SA_U18s) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SA_U18s\/status\/751277264688386049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 8, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>After a poor Under 18 championships, Tasmania will have some joy with <strong>Tarryn Thomas<\/strong> making the level one squad.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas won both the Under 18 and Under 16 MVP for Tasmania, but will likely be linked with <strong>North Melbourne&#8217;s<\/strong> next generation academy as an eligible selection in 2018.<\/p>\n<p>Vic Metro didn&#8217;t win a game through the Under 16 championships, but have four representatives in the Level One squad.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Rhylee West<\/strong> will be closely watched by the Western Bulldogs, after a dominant Under 16 carnival for Metro. West is the son of Western Bulldogs great Scott, who played 324 games in the red, white and blue.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sandringham Dragons<\/strong> twins <strong>Ben<\/strong> and <strong>Max King<\/strong>, are two talls likely to be considered as early picks in 2018.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Max and Ben King front the media &#8211; twins both 199cm who can play both ends &#8211; Future Stars from Vic metro U16s ! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/F2NicAjpTR\">pic.twitter.com\/F2NicAjpTR<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Kevin Sheehan OAM (@AFL_Shifter) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AFL_Shifter\/status\/750110192025546752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 4, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>West isn&#8217;t the only father son selected in the Level One squad with <strong>Nick Blakey<\/strong> (son of John) and <strong>Bailey Scott<\/strong> (son of Robert) named alongside him.<\/p>\n<p>Blakey and Scott are in a never before seen position, eligible for three different clubs in 2018.<\/p>\n<p>Blakey can be selected as a father-son selection for Brisbane and North Melbourne, but also falls under Sydney Swans&#8217; academy after living in the region when his father has been an assistant coach with the Swans.<\/p>\n<p>Scott is eligible as a father-son selection for North Melbourne and Geelong, as well as falling into the Gold Coast Suns academy zone.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Western Bulldogs fans remember the name Rhylee West (son of Scott). Currently dominating the Vic Metro U16 game. One for the 2018 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLDraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLDraft<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Matt Balmer (@MattBalmer7) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MattBalmer7\/status\/741449609440985090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 11, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The connections don&#8217;t end there, with Western Australian small forward\u00a0<strong>Ian Hill<\/strong> selected. Hill is the cousin of current AFL footballers Stephen and Brad Hill and performed well kicking eight goals in the Under 16 carnival.<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>ACADEMY SQUADS:\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><u>LEVEL TWO NAB AFL ACADEMY<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Northern Territory<\/strong>: Dominic Grant<br \/>\n<strong>NSW-ACT<\/strong>: Charlie Spargo, Jack Powell, Jarrod Brander, Nathan Richards<br \/>\n<strong>Queensland<\/strong>: Jack Clayton, Connor Ballenden, Brayden Crossley<br \/>\n<strong>Vic Country<\/strong>: Tyrone Hayes, Aaron Darling, Kane Farrell, Aidan Quigley, Lochie O&#8217;Brien, Hunter Clark, Luke Davies-Uniake, Oscar Clavarino, James Worpel, Tom De Koning<br \/>\n<strong>Vic Metro<\/strong>: Jack Higgins, Lachlan Fogarty, Patrick Naish, Joel Garner, Jaidyn Stephenson, Sam Hayes<br \/>\n<strong>South Australia<\/strong>: Jordan Houlahan, Darcy Fogarty, Thomas Schmusch, Callum Coleman-Jones, Andrew McPherson<br \/>\n<strong>Western Australia<\/strong>: Jake Patmore<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>LEVEL ONE NAB AFL ACADEMY<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Northern Territory<\/strong>: Michael Mummery<br \/>\n<strong>NSW-ACT<\/strong>: Matthew Walker, Nick Blakey<br \/>\n<strong>Queensland<\/strong>: Bailey Scott<br \/>\n<strong>Vic Country<\/strong>: Sam Walsh, Zane Barzen, Jye Caldwell, Sam Fletcher, Hudson Garoni<br \/>\n<strong>Vic Metro<\/strong>: Rhylee West, Jack Bytel, Max King, Ben King<br \/>\n<strong>South Australia<\/strong>: Izak Rankine, Connor Rozee, Jackson Hately, Jack Lukosius, Hugo Munn, Ruben Flinn, Luke Valente<br \/>\n<strong>Tasmania<\/strong>: Chance Jones, Tarryn Thomas<br \/>\n<strong>Western Australia<\/strong>: Ian Hill, Tom Joyce, Sydney Stack, Jason Carter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vic Country\u00a0midfielder James Worpel heads the list of inclusions for the 2016\/17 AFL Academy squad that was named today. Worpel missed selection for the Level One squad in 2015, but after a stellar Under 18 Championship for Vic Country averaging 15 disposals, he was added into the Level Two squad. The eligible squad for next [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":26873,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[278,279,8],"tags":[313,24,235,332,232,156,350,253,175,63,465,473,251,542,83,64,249,35,677,46,887,892,33,894,910,145,914,29,922,924,248,68,956,90,65,986,67,252,1058,32,31,61,1170,1181,135,1233,62,1274,1329,86,1375,45,48,1407,30,66,1575,1631,1656,146,1667,42,1757,69,254,1813,1817,1847,1974],"class_list":["post-22704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature-articles","category-headlines","category-news","tag-aaron-darling","tag-afl-academy","tag-afl-draft","tag-afl-draft-2017","tag-afl-draft-2018","tag-afl-draft-central","tag-aidan-quigley","tag-andrew-mcpherson","tag-bailey-scott","tag-ben-king","tag-brayden-crossley","tag-brenton-sanderson","tag-callum-coleman-jones","tag-chance-jones","tag-charlie-spargo","tag-connor-ballenden","tag-connor-rozee","tag-darcy-fogarty","tag-dominic-grant","tag-eastern-ranges","tag-hudson-garoni","tag-hugo-munn","tag-hunter-clark","tag-ian-hill","tag-izak-rankine","tag-jack-bytel","tag-jack-clayton","tag-jack-higgins","tag-jack-lukosius","tag-jack-powell","tag-jackson-hately","tag-jaidyn-stephenson","tag-jake-patmore","tag-james-worpel","tag-jarrod-brander","tag-jason-carter","tag-joel-garner","tag-jordan-houlahan","tag-jye-caldwell","tag-kane-farrell","tag-lachlan-fogarty","tag-lochie-obrien","tag-luke-davies-uniake","tag-luke-valente","tag-matt-balmer","tag-matthew-walker","tag-max-king","tag-michael-mummery","tag-nathan-richards","tag-nick-blakey","tag-north-melbourne","tag-northern-knights","tag-oakleigh-chargers","tag-oscar-clavarino","tag-patrick-naish","tag-rhylee-west","tag-richmond","tag-ruben-flinn","tag-sam-fletcher","tag-sam-hayes","tag-sam-walsh","tag-sandringham-dragons","tag-sydney-stack","tag-tarryn-thomas","tag-thomas-schmusch","tag-tom-de-koning","tag-tom-joyce","tag-tyrone-hayes","tag-zane-barzen"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22704"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22704\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}