By MICHAEL ESPOSITO
THE first intake of the AFL Victoria VFL acadmey was announced on Friday, and mentor Nathan Bibby couldn’t be more excited to start working with 20 of the league’s most promising players.
The academy, which includes Williamstown players Damien Bugeja, Jack Charleston and Jack Frost and Werribee’s Kyle Hartigan and Scott Sherlock, was established this year to help players in their quest to play AFL football, by putting them through development programs that aren’t offered by their clubs.
“What I hope to offer in the academy is probably beyond what the VFL clubs get to do,” Bibby said.
“A lot of the VFL clubs have got good development programs in place, so I don’t want to double up and take away what they already do; so it’s finding ways of exposing these guys to high level programs and activities that people from the AFL world can engage them with.”
The academy was formed partly to capitalise on the increased attention the VFL is receiving as a talent pool for the AFL.
“It’s sort of a natural progression with what happened particularly last year, with the 16 that got drafted from the VFL,” Bibby said.
“I think it’s pretty exciting because it’s going to give the guys who have missed out of being drafted for whatever reason another opportunity, and it’s going to be adding value to that league as well.”
Bibby has a background in coaching development and talent identification, having worked with the AFL’s NSW and ACT talent program over the past five years.
He had been looking to relocate to Melbourne for the past two years and the formation of the VFL academy was the perfect opportunity.
Bibby spoke to every coach about their players and development programs, and went to a number of training sessions and matches to see for himself the talent that was on offer. He said being a relative outsider helped him select players without bias.
“The academy’s about providing opportunities to be exposed to glimpses of what happens at VFL clubs,” he said.
People in the AFL system, such as coaches, recruiters and players, will talk to the academy squad members about what’s expected at AFL clubs, what attributes clubs look for, and how mature age players can enhance their chances of being recruited.
“People grow and develop personally at different rates,” Bibby said.
“Players will be given individual plans, it won’t be bulk delivered. The plans will be tailored to fit in with working arrangements, study and those sorts of commitments.
“So, hopefully we’ve got a squad that has a lot of potential to be drafted next year or two.”
