AFL funding boost for WA talent pathway

In a major boost for WA Football, the AFL will invest an additional $1 million per year into the West Australian Football Commission’s restructured talent development model.

The ongoing annual commitment of an additional $1 million in AFL funding will support the delivery of an enhanced talent development model, which has been developed in partnership with the AFL and nine WAFL clubs based on the findings of the WAFC’s recent Structural Review of Football.

The new talent development model will see the WAFC, WAFL clubs and the AFL join forces to provide improved talent pathways, an enhanced WAFL Colts competition and greater opportunities for WA’s most talented players.

WAFC CEO Gavin Taylor said that securing significant additional AFL funding would assist in achieving WA Football’s vision of becoming the nation’s best talent development State, where players will have the greatest opportunity to play at the highest level of the game.

“Western Australia has a proud history of producing some of the game’s greatest players and we’re confident that with the additional investment by the AFL into our new best-practice talent model, this will only continue to improve in both quality and consistency,” he said.

“This is a significant investment by the AFL into the future of West Australian talent, which is a great outcome for football in this State and everyone involved with the WA talent pathway.

“The AFL’s total investment into WA football across the WAFC will now total more than $5m a year, which we acknowledge and thank them for.

“With this funding now secured we can move towards launching the new talent development model for 2018.”

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said the AFL was proud to provide strong support for the new WA talent model.

“Historically WA has been a significant contributor of talent to the AFL via the draft,” he said.

“This hasn’t been as consistent in recent times but we’re confident that this investment, together with a new model and philosophy, will see more higher quality WA talent throughout the football system.

“The new talent development model in WA presents a really exciting opportunity for the State’s most talented players to pursue their dreams of playing at the highest level and ensures they are very well-supported along the way by experts aligned with our national talent development philosophy.”

The model’s ongoing success will be measured by the total number of AFL draftees, WAFL club player retention, player satisfaction and AFL feedback, which will be assessed via an annual perception survey with WAFL and AFL clubs.

Photo: AFL Academy player Tom Joyce (East Fremantle), WAFC Player Wellbeing & Development Coach Darren Rumble and AFL Academy Player Jason Carter (Claremont).