Queenslanders Calem Volker, Jason lee and Mabiol Chol have been named in the 2013 World Team squad which will compete at the Under 16 NAB AFL Under 16 Championships in Sydney in July.
Premiership player and former Carlton captain Anthony Koutoufides has been named head coach of the World Team.
The 2013 squad will showcase the skills of talented international youngsters from South Africa, England, Ireland and Denmark, as well the best upcoming AFL multicultural players from across the nation.
“The World Team provides international and multicultural AFL players with elite training, personal development and AFL talent pathway opportunities,” said Anthony Koutoufides.
“Coming from a Greek and Italian background, I am excited to be given the opportunity to coach the World Team.
“I hope to uncover great talent, such as Sudanese footballer Duom Dawam who represented the World Team in 2012 and was selected into the 2013 Level 1 AIS-AFL Academy after his outstanding performance at the Championships.”
The World Team plays a key role in the AFL International and Multicultural growth strategy.
The AFL’s Kevin Sheehan, Chris Johnson, Michael Ablett and Darren Flanigan selected the final squad of 26 players.
The selection process for the international representatives for the World Team was vast and extensive with many players considered from across the globe.
Multicultural players from across Australia were selected following the National Multicultural Talent camp held in Victoria in May.
The World Team will take part in a two-day high performance training camp from July 4 in Sydney prior to competing in the NAB AFL Championships.
The Under 16 NAB AFL Championships will be played from July 6 -13, coinciding with the AFL’s Multicultural Round which will celebrate ‘Many cultures. One game’.
The World Team will compete against the South Pacific, The Flying Boomerangs and WA North-West.
2013 AFL World Team squad:
NAME SUBURB COUNTRY OF BIRTH FATHERS COUNTRY OF BIRTH MOTHERS COUNTRY OF BIRTH
Vuyisile Sokoyi International player South Africa
Atang Moshoeshoe International player South Africa
Banini Sekori International player South Africa
Msizi Dan Mkhize International player South Africa
Victor Peterson International player Denmark
David McGivney International player Ireland
Colin Kenny International player Ireland
Kahlin Santillo Gilles Plains Australia Italy Australia
Sam Ciappina Wynn Vale Australia Italy Italy
Hisham Kerbatieh Meadow Heights Australia Australia Lebanon
Robert Mostert Caversham South Africa South Africa South Africa
Takhudzwa Phiri Success Zambia Zambia Zambia
Cameron Cope Brownhills Walsall England
Damendeep Ajula Lalor New Zealand India Samoa
Yusef Kassem Kewdale Australia Lebanon Lebanon
Jason Lee Mermaid Waters Australia Australia
Calem Volker North Bundaberg Australia German Australia
Thomas Taurau Ararat Australia NZ Australia
James El Moussalli Research Australia Egypt New Zealand
Abraham Kennedy Banksia Grove Ivory Coast Liberia Liberia
David Smith Doodlakine Australia Australia Hungary
Thomas Jok Pakenham Sudan Sudan Sudan
Khamis Mamur Taylors lakes Kenya Sudan Sudan
James Paligorov Beaconsfiled Australia Macedonian Australia
Ruan Greyling Mt Claremont South Africa South Africa South Africa
Mabiol Chol Acacia Ridge Sudan