The footy season may be over but for some of the region's best young AFL talent the hard work is about to begin.
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The squad for the 2020/2021 Northern Heat development program has been finalised following a gruelling day of selection trials.
Comprising the best under-16 and under-18 players from the North West and North Coast leagues, the program runs over the off-season and is designed to give the squad members the access to the tools they need to go further in the game.
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"How much they access and utilise those tools is up to them and will be determined by their commitment to working hard both inside and outside of the program," Community Football Manager Paul Taylor said.
"(But) Based on what we've already seen, this group of players will work extremely hard to go as far in AFL as they can."
The program will include video analysis, GPS tracking, and strength and conditioning training conducted by an ex-Sydney Swans coach, and will finish with a match against the Surfers Paradise/Southport Colts team. And while the focus is on individual development there will also be opportunities to progress to partner clubs that participate in the VFL.
Taylor said that the staff were excited by the talent on display at the selection day in Armidale, which comprised draft style testing including height, weight, speed, endurance, vertical jump, and skill drills, and concluded with hotly contested match play.
"Just as we see in the local competitions, each year the standard of our players goes up. Not only are we excited by the quality of players that will be involved we're also highly impressed by the commitment the players have already shown," he said.
"We had players at the trials who had travelled up to three hours just to be there, coming from places such as Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Inverell, and Grafton."
There could be some additions with a couple of players to be given their opportunity at the first training session once they've overcome injury and illness setbacks.
Northern Heat squad: Angus Anderson (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Hamish Anderson (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Jackson Berryman (Northern Beaches Blues), Jye Boehme (Grafton Tigers), Max Bylsma (Port Macquarie Magpies), Jack Dadd (Tamworth Kangaroos), Morgan Dunn (New England Nomads), Cam Gaukroger (Inverell Saints), Harrison Lee (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Dale Lovell (Grafton Tigers), Mikey Luxton (Grafton Tigers), Isaac Malt (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Luke Neal (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Ryan Newton (Inverell Saints), Alby Popko (Grafton Tigers), Hayden Proctor (Coffs Harbour Breakers), Luke Sing (Tamworth Kangaroos), Ronan Singleton (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Rhyley Thom (Inverell Saints), Jaymus Troutman (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Bill Tydd (Tamworth Kangaroos)
