The AFL NAB Under 18 Championships kick off this weekend
This year’s AFL Under 18 Championships will follow a different format.
AFL National Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan explained that the first two round matches, which will see Division 1 teams playing Division 2 teams, will not count in determining the respective title winners.
Sheehan said it would allow teams to expose more players to the Championships and play football at a level they’d never previously experienced.
“All teams have 40 players in their squad and we would expect they would play most of them over the course of the five matches,” Sheehan said.
The new format will provide a more condensed conclusion with all the Division 1 teams squaring off in a two and a half week period.
For the first time Foxtel will televise live in prime time the final round of matches – Vic Country v Vic Metro and South Australia v West Australia from Etihad Stadium.
Sheehan noted that historically the Championships provide for about 80 percent of the players selected at the AFL National Draft later in the year.
He added that from last year’s Championship there had been already 27 players who had debuted in the AFL this season.
“All the top 10 draft players appear in it, naturally enough, and the States do a magnificent job in preparing a well -developed group of young kids each year,” he said.
There are 8 teams competing in the Championships:
VICTORIA
Vic Country
Vic Metro
OTHER STATES
Northern Territory
NSW/ACT
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Western Australia
SCHEDULE FOR THE VICS
VIC COUNTRY
Game 1: Tasmania, Bellerive Oval, Sunday June 5, 11.30 am
Game 2: Northern Territory, Visy Park, Saturday June 11, 12pm
Game 3: South Australia, Adelaide Oval, Saturday June 18, 1pm
Game 4: West Australia, Skilled Stadium, Friday July 1, 2,30pm
Game 5: Vic Metro, Etihad Stadium, Wednesday July 6, 5.35pm
VIC METRO
Game 1: NSW/ACT, Blacktown Olympic Park, Saturday June 4, 2.35pm
Game 2: Queensland, Visy Park, Saturday June 11, 2.30pm
Game 3: West Australia, Paterson’s Stadium, Sunday June 19, 11.15 am
Game 4: South Australia, Skilled Stadium, Friday, July 1, 12.15pm
Game 5: Vic Country, Etihad Stadium, Wednesday July 6, 5.35pm
Squad lists for each of the teams are below. In the lead up to each of the Victorian team games, we will list the teams for Vic Country and Vic Metro on the TAC Cup website.
Last Modified on 07/06/2011 10:27