TASMANIA'S proposed entrance into the competition has forced the AFL to take stock of its Next Generation Academies. 

With the Devils coming into the AFL, North Melbourne will lose access to Tasmania as a NGA zone. But where will the Kangaroos' new zone be allocated? And what does it mean for everyone else?

The AFL asked those questions and more to clubs in January and received feedback on which zones clubs wanted to retain, the zones they wanted to obtain and any other suggestions on rules, eligibility and access to Indigenous and multicultural talents. 

With northern Academies largely separate to the NGA system, AFL.com.au canvassed the 14 other clubs about their feedback they delivered to the AFL on the NGA program and any options in the future models. 

There is a large area of South Australia that currently is not allocated to either the Crows or Port Adelaide under NGA zoning. These areas aren't tied to SANFL clubs so weren't in the section of the state divvied up when the NGA was first established, but both Adelaide and Port Adelaide have asked for those zones to be split up and tied to them. The Crows have pushed for clarity on the funding of NGA programs between the AFL clubs, SANFL clubs and also state programs as part of the review. Adelaide is also in favour of NGA players who are overlooked by their clubs being available as Category B rookies at other clubs.

Carlton is currently the only club without a regional talent zone and has asked for that to change as part of the zone distribution in the AFL's review. The Blues have had thorough and positive discussions with the AFL around acquiring this to accompany their current region, which includes areas in the north of Melbourne. Getting a regional zone is the major priority for the Blues, who now have their Next Generation Academy as one of the best resourced in the AFL. It is looking to make an impact in a regional area, across talent and game development and community engagement. The Blues are also taking a NGA focus for AFLW. Despite not having access to NGA draft concessions within the current AFLW rules, the club remains committed to equal investment across both AFL and AFLW programs.

As part of its feedback, the Pies are keen for the full-scale review of the NGAs to include a close look at the population data within each club's zone and the equity of the break-up and allocation of different areas. Collingwood wants to hold onto its current zone, which includes the Oakleigh region, but also expand beyond that, as well as retain its Tennant Creek hold in the Northern Territory. The Pies are supportive of efforts to add more rigour to the criteria and eligibility process to ensure access is appropriate in correlation to the development clubs can show they have provided for a player who is deemed draft level, and are also open to more access to multicultural and Indigenous talent on lists and any tweaks that might lift the numbers of players from those backgrounds. 

The Bombers want to retain and grow their existing zones in the north-west of Melbourne and Tiwi Islands, having had specific focus of investment in school programs in the north-west of Melbourne and also more than 30 years of supporting football in the Tiwi Islands. The club has spent around $10 million since NGAs were established on community initiatives, including the support of local relationships with Calder Cannons. The Bombers are proud of their alignment with the Cannons, with more than 75 per cent of Calder's 2025 lists – for boys and girls – players who have been through Essendon's programs (both NGA and non-NGA eligible). Having selected small forward gun Isaac Kako at last year's draft as a Next Gen product, Essendon supports retaining uncapped draft concessions so clubs can commit to long-term investment in NGA programs and encourage participation with the bonus of talent outcomes for clubs. 

Both Fremantle and West Coast are happy with their zones and believe there is no need to change any allocations given the amount of work put into them. A review of the WAFL clubs over the year could change the zoning at that level but that is some way down the line. Freo's feedback centred around opening up more positions for Category B rookies and having better accessibility for spots for Indigenous and multicultural players within that. Current rules are restrictive on how much training and club involvement NGA draft hopefuls can have at AFL clubs, so the Dockers have asked for NGA players, particularly those from regional areas, be able to do training blocks over the SSP window in pre-season likewise to what Northern Academy players do at their clubs. As the AFL considers opening up more international zones for NGA access, including the Pacific islands and South America, the Dockers are supportive but mindful of not having the draft become too compromised. 

There is a strong desire from the Cats to retain their current NGA zone in Victoria, which takes in the Geelong region to the outskirts of Warrnambool and Ballarat. The Cats have acknowledged their current zone has a below average Indigenous and multicultural population in comparison to other clubs' NGA zones and are looking for opportunities within that to help increase it. Geelong is among the clubs with a desire for access to any player tied to a club as a NGA be eligible as a Category B rookie elsewhere if their club overlooks them in their draft year. 

The Hawks have asked for clubs to be able to have four Category B rookie spots, up from two, as part of their submission to the AFL. Hawthorn has zone coverage in the east of Melbourne and Victoria, spanning the Eastern Ranges and Gippsland Power regions, and has proposed to retain its current area for draft talent and community involvement. The club is also keen to have AFLW mechanisms fall into line with AFL NGA rules. 

As well as retaining its Alice Springs NGA zone, from which the club had its access to Ricky Mentha jnr as a rookie at last year's draft, the Demons are looking to have complete access to the Dandenong region. Currently Melbourne is sharing some of that area with St Kilda's Next Generation Academy. As the AFL also takes in feedback on the criteria elements of the NGA process, the Demons were strong on player eligibility getting back to the core function of the NGA, which is bringing prospects to the game who otherwise were not in football programs. The Dees supported needing proof of attracting the prospects to the game as part of a club's draft access down the track. 

North is the big one in the bunch. The Roos will lose their Tasmanian NGA zone, but it remains to be seen when that is and what sort of transition period there will be for the Tasmanian NGA prospects they have worked with in coming drafts. The club has 60 per cent of its current NGA zone population in Tasmania, so has asked for a commensurate replacement zone from the AFL. They want to keep their current Victorian areas in the city of Melbourne and surrounds and are open to other options, with a preference to work up and access more of the northern Victoria regions. The club is looking for growth corridors similar to Wyndham for fan development and growth, with the Roos not just focused on a talent outcome but also with a keen eye on growing their fanbase as well. Some of the northern zones the Roos have their eyes on includes areas that Richmond, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs currently hold. The club hasn't made the Darwin area and getting into the Northern Territory a preference but would consider with strong AFL investment. As part of North's views on rules and eligibility, the Kangas have long favoured if a player qualifies as being a father-son, then they should not be eligible for Northern Academy or Next Generation Academy access. 

As the AFL look to redistribute areas in Victoria with North Melbourne's inclusion, Port Adelaide is largely unaffected. Along with the Crows, the Power have asked the AFL to allocate the undesignated regions of the state between both clubs in the area around the APY Lands. The AFL is looking at boosting its rookie list with extra positions and Port is in favour of having more Category B rookie spots, partly to help support and lift their SANFL team's quality, having struggled in recent seasons with their competitiveness at that level. 

Richmond chose not to participate and offered "no comment" on its suggestions for improving pathways or the NGA model. But the Tigers are searching for change given over the near decade of the NGA, Richmond has signed only one graduate of the program – Derek Eggmolesse-Smith – to its AFL list. Richmond does have access next year to Cody Walker under its NGA zone, but the gun talent is also tied to Carlton as a father-son of former player Andrew, where he will head. The Tigers are the only Melbourne club without a metropolitan zone, with Richmond holding onto the Sunraysia region in north-west Victoria, including Bendigo and Shepparton, and they are keen to access a city area as part of the rezoning. 

St Kilda has been the equal most successful club in terms of producing NGA draftees – along with Fremantle – and highlighted that as part of its submission, with the likes of Mitchito Owens and Marcus Windhager graduates of their program. Because of that, the Saints are strong on maintaining their current zone in south-eastern and bayside Melbourne as well as growing out and developing to include more of the Dandenong region. Currently the Dandenong Stingrays' zone is shared between Melbourne and St Kilda. The Saints have also proposed that given many NGA prospects start their football journey later than others, clubs should hold access of NGA-tied players for years after their draft seasons to ensure they can select them as draft prospects down the track as rewards of their development. 

A big focus for the Eagles was finding parity in Academy access as the Northern clubs. West Coast requested that NGA training, education, strength and conditioning access is consistent with the Northern Academy programs to facilitate a greater talent outcome. The Eagles have existing strong relationships with current WAFL aligned NGA zones for young male talents and has encouraged the AFL to consider Western Australia's projected population growth corridors for any zone redistributions. Like Fremantle and the South Australian clubs, the Eagles' region focus won't be hugely affected by the AFL's rezoning program. West Coast has requested the AFL quickly duplicate the current boys' NGA zone for females to increase the number of Indigenous and multicultural girls playing the AFLW competition. In 2025, West Coast projects to have more than 150 NGA females registered in football programs. 

With the current limit on Category B rookies being two, the Western Bulldogs are in favour of having more flexibility with that list and increased numbers, which would likely lead to more opportunities for products of the NGA system. An extension of that is having priority access on players beyond their 19th year. Current rules stipulate that clubs have to nominate their interest in a NGA player if they have been overlooked in a draft but after their 19th year they lose any draft hold on the player. The Dogs put forward that as long as a club has continued to develop the player, potentially within their state league program, then they can maintain draft access over them given some NGA prospects will be coming from further back in terms of readiness for an AFL list spot. The Western Bulldogs were also among the clubs to be in favour of aligning AFLW NGA rules with the men's competition.