The GIANTS Academy under 18 boys' side will get their chance to shine in front of AFL recruiters and Allies selectors this weekend as they begin their Northern Academy Series on Sunday against the Brisbane Lions Academy. 

Facing the Lions in Brisbane on Sunday morning before hosting the Gold Coast Suns Academy in Blacktown on Sunday April 12, the GIANTS Academy will look to use the series as a final ramp up for their upcoming Coates Talent League games, beginning later this month.

GIANTS Academy coach Tadhg Kennelly says the upcoming series is a great opportunity for the GIANTS’ best under 18 talent to put their name in lights.

“It’s a series really where you get your Allies selected and it helps get your players drafted,” Kennelly said.

“If you’re a genuine chance of getting selected [in the draft] then you really have to be playing Allies which is the div one competition for under 18s in the country and that’s where the majority of them [draftees] come from.

“Clearly, you are trying to get your best players across the line and hopefully they can play well and put their case forward for Allies. Last year we had three players in the Allies and all three got drafted.”

Kennelly – who played 197 AFL games and was part of the Swans’ 2005 premiership side – highlighted two young GIANTS in particular to keep an eye on in the upcoming Northern Academy Series.

“Ollie Withers is coming back from his ACL which he did in February last year and he was really a priority prospect for us last year but now he’s had three games back and he’s looking prime to go and ready to rip it apart.

“And Jim Houston is another, he has been outstanding in the ruck and forward for us in the warm-up games and is training really well. He’s a boy from the middle of New South Wales so he’s done really well with the travel piece, and he was in Knox the last couple of years.

“But Jim and Ollie have been the two real standouts for us.”

Kennelly reiterated the upcoming two-game series was a great chance for draft hopefuls to get noticed, while adding that it also provides an opportunity to give exposure to some of the GIANTS’ younger players who aren’t eligible to be drafted until next year.

“All the Allies selectors are there and recruiters are there so you’re obviously trying to showcase yourself to get in the Allies,” he said.

“But it’s also a good opportunity to blood some 17-year-olds. We’ve played a few 17-year-old’s [in the pre-season games] already who we think will be a priority next year, Ethan Matthews is one of those, and Tommy Wichman is another one. They have played all three games and they’ll play these [Academy Series] games. Charlie Harper is another one.

“This series and the CTL [Coates Talent League], it’s about exposing your 18-year-olds but also giving your 17-year-olds an introduction to it, as the sooner they get up to speed the sooner it helps them with training and getting ready for next year.”

The Academy coach added there was one key trait he tries to instil in his players, as well as revealing how the Academy tries to give its players the best chance of transitioning to a potential AFL career with the GIANTS.

“We try and get them to showcase what they’ve got and show their ability to compete. If you can’t compete at any level, let alone at AFL level, then you’re not going to get there.

“So, we try and tell our kids it’s really about competing, and we try and get them to play the same style that Adam [Kingsley] and the senior team are playing. We talk about the tsunami handball, about playing fast and we have the same terminology which helps so that players like Harvey Thomas can come right in straight from the Academy and it makes it an easier transition.

“So in these two Academy Series games we are really trying to showcase what we’ve got from an individual standpoint, but also from a team piece as well.”

Sunday’s game between the GIANTS Academy and the Lions Academy gets under way at Brighton Homes Arena at 11:30am.