Tassie’s best to join Allies

SIX of Tasmania’s brightest football talents have been selected for the initial 30-player Allies squad.

The squad is made up of the best under-18s from NSW, ACT, Queensland, Northern Territory and Tasmania.

The six Tasmanians are North Hobart’s Mitch O’Neill, Will Peppin and Sam Collins, with Jackson Callow from North Launceston, Oliver Davis from Clarence and Launceston’s Jared Dakin. Collins, Callow and Davis have been named in the squad after strong under-16 national championship performances this year, which saw them selected in the 2018 under-16 All-Australian team.

O’Neill, Peppin and Dakin were all part of the undefeated under-18 Tasmanian side that won the division two academy series.

O’Neill played with the Allies side at this year’s division one AFL national championships.

The expanded NAB AFL Academy program will have 150 players go to high performance camps in South Australia, Vic Country, Vic Metro, Western Australia and the Allies states.

AFL head of talent Tristan Salter said it is an exciting time for the country’s best young talent.

“The new approach to the national academy will ensure more of our most talented players have access to AFL facilities, while receiving the best quality coaching, high performance and wellbeing services in the country,” he said. “Importantly these players will spend more time in their home state, with year-round firstclass support.” — KYLE WISNIEWSKI