2024 AFL National Academy squads announced

The AFL has today announced the 2024 AFL National Academy squads with five Queenslanders named. 

Lilly Baker, Tara Harrington and Havana Harris were named in the National Academy Girls Squad, and Leonardo Lombard and Sam Marshall named in the National Academy Boys squad.

The AFL National Academy Boys and AFL National Academy Girls squads feature many of the country’s most promising young footballers.

All players named in the squads are born in 2006 and will be eligible for selection in the 2024 AFL Draft and 2024 AFLW Draft.

The AFL National Academy is an accelerated football and personal development program that provides the next generation of stars with experiences, learnings and further opportunities to best prepare them for the next steps in their football journey.

The boys squad will take part in its first camp in Melbourne from Friday, December 8 to Sunday, December 10 before reconvening for a further two camps during the 2024 season.
The first of three camps for the girls squad will be held in Melbourne from Friday, January 19 to Sunday, January 21.

The boys and girls Academy will each play two games during the 2024 season where players will represent their country as part of the Australia U18 team.

Further details on all camps and matches will be confirmed at a later date.

This is the 27th annual intake for the AFL National Academy Boys and the seventh intake for the AFL National Academy Girls.

Both squads feature players from every state and territory across Australia.

AFL National Academy Manager Tarkyn Lockyer congratulated all players on their selection in the 2024 AFL National Academy squads.

“Being part of the AFL National Academy is a fantastic achievement. All players selected in the boys and girls squads have demonstrated outstanding football ability and a determination to advance further in their football journey,” Lockyer said.

“One of the philosophies of the AFL National Academy is to provide players with a different experience to what they receive as part of other programs they are involved in.

“Players will come together for high performance training camps and have the opportunity to play for their country in representative matches.

“They will also get to integrate into AFL environments and receive access to expert coaching and education to assist their football and personal development.

“The learnings and experiences players gain from the opportunities provided through the AFL National Academy is invaluable.”

2024 AFL NATIONAL ACADEMY GIRLS

Seven members of the 2023 AFL National Championships U18 Girls All Australian team headline the inclusions in the 2024 AFL National Academy Girls squad.

They include Ash Centra, Havana Harris, Sara Howley, Emma McDonald, Molly O’Hehir, India Rasheed and Poppy Scholz.

Queensland ruck and forward Havana Harris was crowned the best and fairest player at the 2023 AFL National Championships U18 Girls after a dominant campaign where she averaged 18.3 disposals, three marks and 17 hitouts.

She capped a huge 2023 season by winning the best on ground medal in the QAFLW Grand Final to steer Bond University to premiership success over Aspley.

Sara Howley and Ash Centra finished third to Harris in the 2023 AFL National Championships U18 Girls best and fairest voting.

Howley claimed the Coates Talent League Girls best and fairest following a dominant year for the Geelong Falcons where she averaged 33 disposals and one goal across 12 matches in the home-and-away season.

Centra is one of three team MVP winners from this year’s U18 Girls National Championships selected in the 2024 AFL National Academy Girls squad, along with Harris and South Australia’s India Rasheed, who is the daughter of Roger Rasheed.

Sophie McKay has also been selected after winning the best on ground medal following a dominant performance in the 2023 AFLW Futures game in September. McKay is the daughter of Carlton premiership player Andrew and sister of Blues midfielder Abbie.

The squad also features Poppy Sholz (sister of Port Adelaide’s Matilda Sholz) and Australian representative baseball pitcher Ashley Patton.
 

2024 AFL NATIONAL ACADEMY BOYS

The 2024 AFL National Academy Boys squad features three players who were named in the 2023 AFL National Championships U18 Boys All Australian team in Levi Ashcroft, Sid Draper and Finn O’Sullivan.

Ashcroft is the son of three-time Brisbane Lions premiership player Marcus and brother of current Lions’ midfielder Will. The father-son prospect is already a two-time Coates Talent League premiership player with the Sandringham Dragons and this year claimed the club’s best and fairest award.

Draper was named South Australia’s MVP at the U18 Boys National Championships and in September was awarded the 2023 Jack Collins-Alan Schwab AFL Life Members scholarship before playing a key role in South Adelaide’s SANFL U18 premiership win.

O’Sullivan won the Kevin Sheehan Medal as the Division 1 best and fairest at the 2022 AFL National Development Championships U16 Boys before again impressing for Victoria Country at U18 level this year.

The 2024 AFL National Academy Boys squad also includes father-son prospects Ben and Lucas Camporeale and Tyler Welsh.

Twin brothers Ben and Lucas Camporeale are eligible to join Carlton where their father Scott played 233 matches. Ben was best afield in 2023 AFL Futures game which was played on the MCG as a curtain-raiser to the 2023 Toyota AFL Grand Final.

Key forward Welsh is eligible to join Adelaide where his dad Scott played 129 of his 205 AFL matches.

Gold Coast Suns Academy midfielder Leonardo Lombard has also been named after this year featuring in the Suns’ VFL premiership team at 16 years of age. He also played one match for the title-winning Allies at the U18 Boys National Championships.