VIC Metro’s preparation for the AFL Under 18 National Championships is exhaustive, meticulous, detailed and lengthy.
It began in October last year and runs through until late June when the last of the five Championships matches is completed.
AFL High Performance Manager Anton Grbac noted the campaign served a joint purpose – gaining success while also providing a platform for players to audition their talents on a national stage.
Metro has a selection policy, which is communicated to all Regional Managers and displayed on the TAC Cup web site.
Grbac said selectors had a “simple template”, which clearly identified what players needed to be considered.
He said the template was based on the AFL recruiting reports undertaken every year.
“I have encapsulated the requirements of an AFL player in this on field assessment sheet. It’s used from Under 16 through to Under 18,” Grbac said.
“We are looking at the type of player to play the modern game that AFL clubs are looking for. So, we don’t have different agenda as to the sort of player we are picking.
“That is the whole idea of developing the Academy process.”
Grbac said selection is not just based on getting a result, but having a competitive AFL type group that can play nationals in the knowledge they will be assessed very heavily.
“Do we pick footballers or do we pick athletes? Essentially, we pick footballers,” Grbac said.
“The game has changed, there was a fashion for a period of time where the game was played open and rebound and an athlete was the prime template.
“Now a footballer has great decision making skills and the ability to execute, especially by foot, is critical.”
Grbac acknowledged that finding the “right type” of player was not an exact science, but the selection policy/template is a guiding document for all staff.
He said all the players were given an Academy hand book, which contains the template on how players were assessed.
“We also give the players the AFL recruiting documentation which tells them how they will be assessed.“
At the end of October a nucleus of about 30 players is identified – players who will be in the mix to saddle up for another AFL Under 18 National Championship carnival or players who have developed and have the capacity to play nationals.
A small educational program is run between January and February with the above mentioned group while n the interim Grbac liaises with all regions to garner information on what other players are progressing well during pre-season.
As well as the initial squad of 30 there is an ancillary list, built up of players nominated by Regional Managers, which bumps the group to about 55 players.
“Some of 17-year-olds from our futures group also can be promoted to the Under 18 squad if we believe they have the capacity to challenge or be considered,” Grbac said.
As a group, Metro trains once a week and every time there is a match scheduled, that scheduled is doubled.
After a Trial Match, selectors refine the group to about 45 players that will move forward to the next Trial match. Metro play Country in two three period games.
“As selectors we then assess which players would be worthy of consideration to play nationals in the five week program,” Grbac said.
Metro, along with every State/Territory, has to submit 40 players to the AFL and can draw on any of those players during the course of the Championships.
“We will probably carry 35 players when the nationals start. We bring them in and then name the 23 players who will play the following weekend and those players train on the Thursday before the match,” Grbac said.
Last Modified on 31/05/2010 13:12