All Abilities Players Blow the Draft ApartThursday, August 10, 2023 - 1:05 PM

Last night’s Rise Inclusion Football Academy Draft Combine saw 80 players from WA All Abilities Football Association (WAAAFA) programs, put through a series of skills tests in a bid to earn State selection.

Now in its third year, the WAAAFA created the Academy aimed at footballers with a disability aged 16 years and above and centers around the development of football, wellbeing and leadership. 

Those in the Academy will take part in three training sessions. The academy will then select the final squad of 40 players plus four train-on players. 

The 44 players will participate in the remaining five sessions that include leadership, game sense, personal wellbeing and three exhibition games.  

These final squad will also have the opportunity to be selected for October’s AFL Inclusion Carnival in Queensland in October.

The Draft Combine presented by the WA Football AFL Talent Academy is one of the three training sessions and involves players going through a series of physical tests including the agility test, sprint test and vertical leap test.

WA All Abilities Executive Officer, Hayden Marchetto said the Rise Inclusion Football Academy provides a pathway for their players to experience the game at the national level.

“Football is a game for all, there are many people who are unaware that football is an inclusive sport,” Marchetto said.

“Last year’s Combine was so successful that due to demand we have increased the intake of players, and the Combine is now a yearly event on the football calendar.

“While each player is competing for selection in the final Rise Inclusion Football Academy squad, they all had so much fun, and it was wonderful to see the families having fun watching from the sidelines.”

West Australian Football Commission State Talent Manager, Adam Jones said football is offering more opportunities to participants with disabilities.

“It’s great that we can provide opportunities to players from WA All Abilities Football Association which is similar to the testing future AFL players go through,” Jones said.

“It was great to see so many players give it their all, there was a bit of fierce rivalry out there last night.”

Rise Network is a partner of the academy which supports Western Australians with disabilities through home care, access to community services, and wider opportunities to live great lives.

For more information on the Rise Inclusion Football Academy, please click here.