NSW selection for Grafton’s Hamish Ellem

QBE Sydney Swans Academy player and Grafton star Hamish Ellem will have an opportunity to showcase his talent on the national stage after being selected in the Under-16 NSW/ACT RAMS team.

The Grafton Tigers junior was selected after his performances for the Swans Academy in the recent 3 game Academy series against the Giants Academy. Dan Zacek, his Grafton based Academy coach, has worked closely with Hamish since January in preparation for the Academy series.

Hamish played predominately as a key forward and spent time in the Ruck, impressing with his mobility, long kicking and overall versatility.

RAMS players, who will compete in the 2017 Under-16 AFL Championships, will take on the country’s best young players in front of the watchful eye of all AFL clubs and recruiters.

Some of the biggest stars of the competition have come through the carnival, including Swans duo Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin, as well as Brownlow Medallists Patrick Dangerfield, Nat Fyfe and Chris Judd.

The RAMS kick off their carnival with a clash with Tasmania at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney in mid-June, followed by back to back matches against Northern Territory and Queensland on the Gold Coast.

QBE Sydney Swans Academy General Manager Chris Smith said it’s a great opportunity for all players.

“Selection in the RAMS team is a fantastic achievement which will really give our QBE Sydney Swans Academy players a chance to show what they’re capable of on the national stage,” Smith said.

“We’ve seen the likes of QBE Sydney Swans Academy graduates Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills make an impact at this carnival in the past and go on to have really exciting starts to their AFL careers.

“The national carnival will be a great experience for our players and one that hopefully kickstarts a long and successful career for them in the AFL.”

The QBE Sydney Swans Academy has been running since 2010 and has produced a number of AFL listed players including Isaac Heeney, Callum Mills, Sam Naismith, Dan Robinson and Jordan Foote, just to name a few.

The RAMS’ first game against Tasmania will be played on Monday, June 12 at Blacktown International Sportspark, followed by games against Northern Territory on Monday, July 10 and Queensland on Saturday, July 16 on the Gold Coast.