BULLDOGS legend and current director of football Chris Grant believes the club’s next generation academy will provide more opportunities for south-west females aspiring to play at the elite level.
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The Western Bulldogs’ next-generation academy, which allows the club to develop talent in south-west Victoria, Wimmera, Western Melbourne, the Mallee and Ballarat, landed in Hamilton on Monday.
Bulldogs’ players and staff held clinics with primary school children at the Hamilton Kangaroos’ home-base of Melville Oval.
Grant, a two-time Charles Sutton medallist who suited up for Footscray 341 times over the course of 17 years, described the south-west as a “rich breeding ground” for football talent.
He said the academy provided additional coaching and support to both male and female AFL hopefuls – aged between 11 and 15 – and would fast-track their development to the big-time.
It follows the emergence of Cavendish’s Emma Kearney, who has starred for the Bulldogs’ in the opening weeks of AFLW.
“I think what we’ve seen in the last two weeks with the explosion of women’s football shows their is a great desire to provide the opportunity for girls – including those from western Victoria – to go to play at the highest level,” the 44-year-old said.
“There is no doubt that for many decades (south-west Victoria) has been a strong breeding ground for both VFL and AFL clubs. That will continue.
“Where we come in in the development of players is that we will nominate the really talented kids who are performing well in the TAC Cup, V-Line Cup, and well for other representative teams to be part of our additional elite training programs.
“Community clubs do so well in nurturing talent but this will enhance their development and hopefully lead to an AFL career for them down the track.”
Grant said it was crucial for the game to keep up with “tremendous” growth in women playing the game on the back of the AFLW launch.
He said it was a priority for the next-generation academy to help to progress the dreams of elite football held by girls in the south-west.
“It’s a fantastic time to be a girl wanting to play at the highest level,” he said.
“There was previously state-based football and some exhibition stuff but there was no consistent elite-level football.
“Why shouldn’t girls be playing? In the past they’ve known there isn’t a pathway but now there is.
“I think there’s a genuine interest to explore women’s teams at a community level and numbers are absolutely booming.”
Visit http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/ for more information on next-generation academies in Victoria.
