AFL Manager of Talent and Academies for NSW/QLD Mark Browning has quashed reports of changes to AFL Queensland talent programs for 2013.
“At the moment there is a lot of speculation in the footy community about the winding up of the regional incorporated bodies and the future of the talent programs,” said Browning.
“The only thing that has changed for 2013 is that the regional talent programs will be financially run through the finance department of AFL Queensland and not individual incorporated bodies that were seen to be a football club.”
This new financial structure will apply to the Gold Coast, Brisbane Southeast, Brisbane North, Brisbane West and Sunshine Coast regions.
In the case of regions Toowoomba, Wide Bay, Capricornia, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns the financial conduct of the regional talent programs will be run through the junior leagues or agreed partner group.
Browning said the change was a directive of the AFL around the legal requirements of functioning as an incorporated body and stressed that this would have no effect on talent programming.
“The regional talent programs will continue to deliver the programs that are currently in place,” he said.
“As part of the process the Southeast Queensland regions advertised extraordinary general meetings on their websites, which may have caused some conjecture.
“These are simply a part of the process of winding up the incorporated bodies and nothing more,” he said.
“It’s business as usual for the talent program in 2013.”
