Arabon Financial Services - U16 Academy Player Update
Andrew Thomson
At the recent QLD State Academy Championships, the Sherwood Magpies were represented by 6 players - a fantastic effort!
L-R: John Baker, Jonty MacDougall, Morgan Smith, Lawson Campbell, Jack Briskey, Darcy Prest
The annual Under 16 State Academy Championships was completed over the weekend
Representative teams from Brisbane South, Brisbane North, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, North Queensland and South Pacific will compete in the four day carnival.
AFL Manager Talent and Academies NSW/QLD, Mark Browning, said the Under 16 State Academy Championships are a key component of the AFL Academy Program, which aims to identify and develop the skills of talented young players.
“These championships provide the boys with a high-level and enjoyable football environment that gives them an opportunity to hone their skills,” said Browning.
“They are fresh from their local AFL club Academy or Summer Training program and now have the opportunity to represent their region, which is a great experience.
“AFL players such as Dayne Zorko (Brisbane Lions), David Armitage (St Kilda), Jarrod Harbrow (Gold Coast SUNS) and Brendan Whitecross (Hawthorn) are products of the Under 16 State Academy Championships and we are looking forward to seeing the next crop of potential AFL stars in action.”
The carnival acts as a predecessor to the Under 16’s National Championships which runs from June 11-14, and a representative team will be selected for the forthcoming carnival.