AFL Northern Territory
Your destination for all things Australian Rules Football in the Northern Territory.
Cazalys NT Talent Academy
NT Talent Academy
The NT Talent Academy strives to:
- Identify and develop talented young athletes.
- Provide high-performance, education, and development opportunities – on and off the field.
- Provide multiple opportunities for players to showcase their skills and qualities ahead of the AFL and AFLW Drafts (through the ages 15-19).
- Prepare players drafted for life as a professional athlete.
Michael Long Cup
Purpose of the Michael Long Cup:
- To identify talented young athletes in the U15 competition
- To provide high-performance education and development opportunities, both on and off the field
- To establish a clear talent pathway
Age Guidelines:
- Players must be in their 15th year.
Regional Participation: Players are invited from various regions across the Northern Territory, including:
- Darwin and Palmerston
- East Arnhem
- West Arnhem and Tiwi Islands
- Big Rivers and West Daly
- Barkly
- Central Australia
Objectives of the Michael Long Cup:
- To create opportunities for Next Generation Academy Clubs to identify and build relationships with young players, both male and female
- To promote Indigenous and multicultural programs
- To provide a pathway for players to gain recognition and invitations to the Cazalys NT Talent Academy program (ages 15-19)
- To enhance health, wellbeing, and the profile of AFL across the Northern Territory, while showcasing the region's young talent
- To ensure that young Territorians have the opportunity to develop their skills and be recognized for future talent programs.
Selection Process: Regional carnivals will be held throughout the Northern Territory as part of the player selection process for the Michael Long Cup. The Cazalys NT Talent Academy, in collaboration with AFLNT's regional and remote teams, will travel to locations such as the Tiwi Islands, Katherine, Gove, Tennant Creek, and Alice Springs to scout potential young talent.
Additionally, the Cazalys NT Talent Academy will leverage the Emerging Talent Programs as a mechanism for talent identification for invitations to the U15 Michael Long Cup.
Emerging Talent Program
The Cazalys NT Talent Academy is pleased to continue its Emerging Talent Program. This initiative is designed for aspiring young footballers, U13, U14, and U15, both boys and girls.
Selected players from the open trials will be invited to participate in the Emerging Talent Program, which aims to enhance fundamental skills, introduce game sense training, and educate participants on the core values of the NT Talent Academy.
Details regarding the open trials will be posted on our Instagram page.
This program offers junior football players a valuable opportunity to integrate into the Cazalys NT Academy, providing experiences comparable to those in the NT's Under 16 and Under 18 Academies.