The U14 Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy squad has been announced, with 31 players selected, with a good spread of talent across all of the GIANTS Regions.

Seven players have been selected from the Western Sydney zone, six from ACT/South Coast, four from Broken Hill and fourteen players from Riverina/Murray.

Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy Manager, Lachlan Buszard said selection in the Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy will provide those players selected with great insight into what it takes to become an AFL footballer.

“For these young players it is about playing in the new AFL NSW/ACT and Academy structure, so these players get the chance to play against the best players in the Swans, Gold Coast and Brisbane Lions Zone, which is something that has never been done before,” said Buszard.

“I think it is a really good opportunity for these players to play against the best players in the Northern states to see where you are at and start to understand what is required to make it as an AFL footballer.

“These players will come in for a week and will live and breathe everything to do with AFL football, from preparation,rehab, and education session on nutrition, diet, body weight, management ofinjuries and they will basically prepare these players as we would an AFL club.

“So at 14 years of age, it is a fantastic insight into what it takes to be an AFL footballer and what they have to doindividually to get there.

“Our job is to develop these players to the best of our ability on the field, but also encourage them to continue on with their studies and that off the field they are still making a go of it, because AFL footy is a game that if you make it there are great rewards, but the other thing about our program is making sure that great people come out of it andtheir contact with the clubs leave a really good taste in their mouth for years to come, said Buszard.

U14 SLATER & GORDON GIANTS ACADEMY SQUAD

Simon Agostino – Western Sydney

Ethan Andrews – Wagga Wagga

Connor Byrne – Wagga Wagga

Fletcher Carroll – Albury

Brandon Clark – Western Sydney

Sam Cooper – Orange

Isaac Cumming – Broken Hill

Patrick De La Mare- Western Sydney

Josh Dowse – ACT

Lachlan Evans – Wagga Wagga

Sam Fischer – ACT

Jordan Gauchi – Western Sydney

Lachlan Gould – Albury

Logan Gray – ACT

Ryan Haberecht – Lavington

Lachlan Harvey – Broken Hill

Tom Highmore – ACT

Lyndon Hupfield – Western Sydney

William Jasiewicz – Moama

Mitch Maguire – Mirrool

Liam Nelson – South Coast

Conner Owen – Western Sydney

Jake Page – Lavington

Cooper Page- Albury

Tom Ragenovich – Broken Hill

Billy Robertson – Albury

Will Setterfield – Albury

Luke Shannon – Griffith

Mitchell Terpstra – ACT

Jacob Turner – Temora

Jayden White – Broken Hill

The U14 Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy will take part in an AFL Academy Series against Sydney Swans, Gold Coast and Brisbane Lions Academies in Albury from September 24-27.

A Camp will be held on 14-15^th September, and players selected in the squad will be notified of more details in the coming weeks.