THE 2009 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships is set for a thrilling conclusion following the opening three rounds of the competition at west Sydney’s Blacktown Olympic Park complex.
The championships will conclude on September 26 at the MCG as a precursor to the 2009 Toyota AFL Grand Final. Victoria Country, coached by Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley, will face-off against traditional rival South Australia in the division one final after progressing through the round robin stage unbeaten. Having not clinched a division one title since 2001, the talent-laden Victoria Country will be a formidable hurdle for the South Australian’s who have dropped just one game on their way to the decider.
The division two final will see Queensland square off against NSW/ACT in what looms as a tight and exciting contest between two emerging football states. The undefeated Queensland side will be seeking to replicate their 24-point win over NSW/ACT in the opening match of the championships. Both states will be striving to become the first side to win five division two titles at the championships.
The opening three rounds provided no shortage of highlights and standout performances that will surely have caught the eye of AFL recruiters. The most memorable moment came when South Australian utility Jack Hombsch pulled down a ‘hanger’ that belied belief. So high in fact was Hombsch that he was not only the centrepiece of the championships highlights package shown on Channel Nine’s Sunday program TAC Cup Future Stars but also collected last week’s ‘Almost Football Legends’ award on The Footy Show.
The showcase of the country’s finest under-16 talent was the first event held at the Blacktown complex which will be the training base for the prospective 18th AFL license set to enter the competition in 2012. AFL National Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan believes the complex will greatly benefit the future western Sydney side. “Blacktown’s state of the art facilities provided the perfect setting for the NAB AFL Under-16 Championships and will undoubtedly play a key role in any future success of the AFL’s 18th club,” said Sheehan.
The NAB AFL Under-16 Championships is the beginning of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, which supports grassroots players and football communities whilst providing young footballer’s with a clearly identifiable pathway to the AFL.
