Sydney Swans like the cut of locals’ jibs

Three stars of local footy have taken the next step forward in their careers, having made the cut to gain inclusion in the Sydney Swans Academy NAB League squads.

Will Kelly (17, Port Macquarie) and Beau Guthrie (16, Coffs Harbour) have both been included in the Swans Academy Under 18 male squad, whilst Amaia Wain (15, Bellingen) has been selected in the Under 16 female squad.

The NAB League is the pre-eminent underage competition in the country and is one of the primary sources of recruitment for AFL clubs with recruiters regularly attending matches.

Will, Beau, and Amaia have each been included in squads of 40 players. Their next goal is to force their way into the top 23 players in their age groups to give themselves the chance to feature in up to nine NAB League matches during the season.

Paul Taylor, Community Football Manager, said that the three players have more than shown the dedication to go far in the sport.

“Will, Beau, and Amaia made regular trips to Sydney before Christmas as part of the selection process and, since being announced in the squad, have been to Sydney on several occasions to do multiple day blocks of training,” Taylor said.

“The commitment that these three young stars have shown is outstanding and, when combined with their obvious talent, they have the opportunity to put themselves on the pathway to a bright future in the game.”

AFL North Coast is gaining a reputation as a breeding ground for quality athletes with Will, Beau, and Amaia looking to follow a similar path as former locals Cambridge McCormick who played AFLW with the GWS Giants in 2022 and Angus Anderson who has joined Sturt in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) ahead of the 2023 season.