Tasmania’s contribution to the Allies squad has tripled on the back of the state’s perfect record at the under-18 academy series.
North Launceston star Tarryn Thomas followed in the footsteps of fellow Tasmanians Brad Green (1999) and Grant Birchall (2005) by receiving the Hunter Harrison Medal as the series’ best player, but what most pleased AFL Tasmania's talent manager Jy Bond was 13 players making the preliminary Allies squad.
“We should get a fair chunk in the Allies considering we won every game, but to have that many boys in is still fantastic and I'm really proud of them,” Bond told the AFL website.
“If these boys do well (in the division 1 AFL under-18 championships), it gives them every opportunity to get drafted.”
Thomas was joined by clubmate Rhyan Mansell, Launceston’s Chayce Jones, Tim Auckland, Blair Rubock and Ethan Jackson, Lauderdale’s Matt McGuinness, Mitch Anderton and Nick Baker, Mitch O'Neill (North Hobart), Fraser Turner (Clarence), Baxter Norton (Hobart City) and Lachie Gadomski (Kingborough).
Also selected for the academy series were North’s Leiwyn Matson-Jones, Tom Donnelly, Cooper Stuart, Ben Simpson, Harrison Williams, Harvey Griffiths, Harry Rand and Jordon Talbot and Launceston’s Jared Dakin, Thomas Mundy, Jamieson House, Ethan Conway, Joey Chaplin, Jack Tuthill, Alex Wright, Jacob Boyd, Sam Kalbfell, Joel O’Donnell, Mason Chatwin, Mitchell Dell, Ty Auton, Connor Riethoff, Bowen Pearce and Grant Holt.