AFL academies identify top multicultural talentThursday, December 15, 2016 - 10:41 AM

Young players from diverse backgrounds representing the Fremantle Dockers and West Coast Eagles Next Generation Academies showcased their football talent in front of representatives from the two AFL clubs and all nine WA Football League (WAFL) clubs in Multicultural matches held at East Fremantle Oval on Saturday, 10 December.

The players from many different backgrounds including Sudan, Papua New Guinea, Trinidad, India, Chile and Myanmar got the chance to hear from AFL Multicultural Ambassador Nic Naitanui from the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers’ Lachie Neale.

Both West Coast and Fremantle planned the two matches in partnership with the WA Football Commission (WAFC) to finalise the Next Generation Multicultural Academy Program for season 2017. 

The AFL developed the two WA Next Generation Academies this year to help identify and develop young Multicultural and Indigenous football talent and provide an opportunity for these players to transition into community football competitions, and existing state and national academy programs.

Eagles’ Nic Naitanui, born in Syndey to Fijian parents, said the academies provide fantastic opportunities for players from all backgrounds to be recognised and to develop their footy skills. 

“I’m proud to be a part of the West Coast Next Generation Academy and it is great to see so many boys from diverse backgrounds playing Aussie Rules Football,” Naitanui said.

“I am looking forward to working with these boys again in the new year and hope to be playing with a few in the not too distant future.”

The earlier match, which saw the Fremantle Academy take home a 12.6 (78) to 6.3 (39) victory over West Coast was used to identify a training squad for the 2017 WA All Nations team who will represent WA at the AFL National Diversity Championships next year.

The WA All Nations team of 22 consists of young males born between 2002 to 2004 who are either born overseas in a non-English speaking background or have at least one parent born overseas in a non-English speaking background.

Fremantle Academy Coach Sam Buhagier said he was very pleased with how the players have developed through the program.

“It has been great to see these boys develop over the course of this year and they performed exceptionally well for Fremantle today,” Buhagier said.

The West Coast Academy, coached by Former Eagles player Adam Selwood, managed to produce the goods in the second match of the day with a 15.11 (101) to 1.3 (9) defeat over Fremantle.

Since the launch of the two academies in June both AFL clubs have held combine sessions, training and education nights and two curtain-raiser exhibition matches at Domain Stadium.

In 2016 Multicultural players made up 15% of the AFL players list across all 18 clubs.

The two AFL Next Generation Academies will recommence training early next year.