School’s in for Falcons hopefuls to get back to playing again

SOME of Geelong’s top AFL prospects will return to playing next month in a boost to their draft chances.

It won’t be in the NAB League, but the Associated Public Schools competition across eight rounds.

It is set to start on July 25, giving Geelong Falcons Tanner Bruhn, Noah Gadsby and Charlie Lazzaro a chance to shine.

The trio was named in the AFL Academy Vic Country hub for this year.

Geelong College returned to training on Monday night in anticipation of the season running across Term 3.

“The boys are happy just to have the opportunity,” Geelong College coach Luke Primus said.

There is still no return date for the NAB League, leaving the future of dozens of draft prospects in limbo. Primus said there would now be more attention on the APS competition.

“We just spoke about the opportunity that they’ve got and how fortunate they are really to be in that system and have the opportunity to play,” he said.

“Who knows what other competitions are going to get up and what opportunities they’re going to get.

“At this stage, ours are looking good and going ahead.”

A call is set on AFL Barwon competitions in the next week, and there is no certainty if the VFL will start with the aligned and standalone teams.

Geelong Falcons players Lazarro, Sam Witherden, Kyle Skene, Euriah Hollard and Toby Conway are at the College, while Bruhn, Gadsby, Gennaro Bove, Macklan Lord, Blake Reid, Finn Murphy and

Alistair O’Donnell are at Geelong Grammar.

The competition is typically stronger than the NAB League in the second half of the year as many top prospects sign scholarships with schools.

Primus said the playing announcement had given the group “renewed vigour”.

“They’re pretty happy to have something to work towards, whatever that is,” he said.

“They’re highly motivated kids anyway, those top-end kids, but it still would have been hard, coupled that with their school changes and the grey area over that as well.

“They’ve had a bit on their plate.”

APS Sport stated on its website that it was planning a truncated season from July 25 until September 12, ensuring government guidelines were adhered to.