JACKSON ALLEN - AIS AFL ACADEMY SQUAD

AIS/AFL Academy high performance coach Jason McCartney, who has taken over from newly appointed Western Sydney high-performance manager Alan McConnell, is relishing the opportunity to guide the squad for the first time. 


"The depth of talent in our junior ranks is very strong and selecting just 30 players from the recent NAB AFL under-16 and under-18 championships was very challenging," McCartney said.


"At the 2008 NAB AFL Draft, eight of the top 10 selections were graduates of the AIS/AFL Academy, highlighting that the program continues to develop high class footballers both on and off the field."  


The squad, selected from the recent NAB AFL under-16 and 18 championships, is an intensive 12-month training program for 30 elite youngsters around Australia. The first camp will be held at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra on September 27.


Recent AIS/AFL Academy graduates include 2009 NAB AFL Rising Star nominees Daniel Rich (Brisbane Lions), Jack Grimes (Melbourne), Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne) and Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide).


Several of this year's squad will also feature in the NAB AFL under-16 championship finals, which will be played as curtain raisers to the AFL grand final.


The 2009 AIS-AFL Academy Squad:

Queensland:  Jackson Allen (Sherwood)


Vic Country: Tomas Bugg (Gippsland/Beaconsfield), Dylan Shiel (Dandenong/Edithvale Aspendale), Adam Treloar (Dandenong/Noble Park), Sam Kerridge (Bendigo/Mildura), Darcy Watchorn (North Ballarat/Redan), Sam Gordon (Geelong/Camperdown), Piers Flanagan (Geelong/Geelong Amateurs), Luke Parker (Dandenong Stingrays)


Vic Metro: Billy Longer (Northern/Macleod), Michael Bussey (Eastern/Rowville), Tim Golds (Oakleigh/Balwyn), Dylan Buckley (Northern/Fitzroy), Jonathon Patton (Eastern/St Simon’s), Aaron Young (Eastern), Andrew Gaff (Oakleigh/Carey Grammar).


South Australia: Chad Wingard (Sturt/Imperials), Jack Hombsch (Sturt/Roxby Downs), Sam Day (Sturt/PAC), Daniel Gorringe (Norwood)


Western Australia: Tom Mitchell (Claremont/Hale School), Gerald Ugle (Perth/Northam), Max Duffy (Perth/Corpus Christi), Myles Bolger (South Fremantle), Brandon Matera (South Fremantle/Corpus Christi), Blayne Wilson (Peel Thunder/Halls Head JFC), Harley Bennell (Peel), Ben Newton (South Fremantle).


Tasmania: Sam Darley (North Hobart)


Northern Territory: Curtly Hampton (Pioneers)