The success of the GIANTS Academy is beginning to show with 10 players from the program landing at AFL clubs during this year’s national and rookie drafts.
But it wasn’t just the GIANTS who benefitted from the club-run Academy, with half the drafted talent joining other AFL clubs.
At the NAB AFL Draft last Friday night seven Academy players were selected, with the Academy zone ranking third behind Victoria and Western Australia for producing talent this year.
Another three Academy graduates then found homes on AFL lists at Monday’s Rookie Draft.
“Our brief for the Academy is to grow the talent pool nationally, it’s not for the GIANTS, it’s to provide more players out of our region on to AFL lists,” said GIANTS Academy Head Coach Jason Saddington.
“We’ve had a pretty good success rate the last couple of years and we hope that can keep growing so it’s not about the players just getting to the GIANTS, it’s about the players getting to AFL clubs and that’s certainly taking place.”
While five Academy products joined the GIANTS; Carlton, Richmond, Essendon, Collingwood and the Swans all benefited from the GIANTS’ elite programs located in Canberra and Sydney and southern and western NSW.
“The players have had access to high-end training programs on a consistent basis and I think that’s what helps the most,” Saddington said.
“The other part to that is the development that has come through from having three, four or five years in the Academy program, I think it’s holding them in better stead.
“They’re better prepared coming into their 16th, 17th and certainly 18th years when they get drafted to be able to put their best foot forward and compete with other kids around the country.”
Newly drafted GIANTS Academy graduates Harrison Macreadie (Carlton), Harry Perryman (GIANTS), Kobe Mutch (Essendon) and Zach Sproule (GIANTS) during their week-long visit to the club in July
At Friday’s NAB AFL Draft the GIANTS selected Albury’s Will Setterfield (pick 5), Collingullie’s Harry Perryman (pick 14), Broken Hill’s Isaac Cumming (pick 20) and Albury’s Lachie Tiziani (pick 54).
The club also added another Albury talent in Zach Sproule through the rookie draft on Monday, meaning 25 per cent of the GIANTS’ list now hail from NSW with the club just six years into its existence.
“We’re really proud of those boys to be able to achieve some of their dreams and goals this year and get to clubs, it’s fantastic to have five here at the GIANTS and we’re always trying to engage our boys with the senior program here as much as possible,” Saddington said.
“For five of them to get that chance to now walk into the club is great.
“On the flip side, I’m really proud we’ve got five boys who get to go other AFL clubs and environments and I’m pretty sure they’re in good positions to be able to step straight into the AFL environment there as well.”
Essendon selected Gol Gol's Kobe Mutch at pick 42, Henty’s Harrison Macreadie joined Carlton at pick 47, and Richmond picked up Corowa-Rutherglen product Ryan Garthwaite at pick 72.
Canberra’s Sam Fisher then became a Swans rookie while Albury ruckman Max Lynch became a Magpie.
Every GIANTS Academy draftee who arrived at the club last week has had exposure to the orange and charcoal having already played with the club’s Reserves side this season.
“It makes it a bit more comfortable for them to be able to step into the football club, they know a few faces, they’ve been around the environment and spent some time training here,” Saddington said.
“It gives them real confidence to be able to come in and jump straight into their footy.
“I know the boys are enjoying being here already … They’ve got mates here they’ve played footy with in previous years that have also been drafted by the GIANTS.”
