Meet the teens training to play for the Tasmania Devils
All eyes are on Tasmania's football talent as the state prepares to enter the AFL with the Tasmania Devils in less than two years.
The Tasmania Devils AFL team is preparing a new generation of homegrown talent to compete in the national league by 2028. The club runs a pathways program, training over 400 teenagers from across Tasmania who have the potential to become professional players. The team is confident of joining the AFL within two years, as they secure a coach, plan to build a stadium, and train their promising players.
Some of the first official players may come from outside Tasmania, but the club prioritizes local talent to build a strong team for the future.
One of the program's participants is 15-year-old Launceston local Prince, who trains four times a week. Prince, whose family migrated from Sierra Leone to Australia, credits his work ethic to his family's resilience and strives to improve his sport to honor them. Another player, 15-year-old Coby, nearly quit football after a family loss but now aims to be the best he can be in the AFL, inspired by his late Nan's support.
The Devils' pathways program also focuses on developing a competitive AFLW side for Tasmania. 17-year-old Lilanni, a talented player in the Tasmania under-18 league, hopes to join her sister, a Fremantle Dockers player, in the AFLW ranks. She praises the increased support for women's football, which has created more opportunities for young female players to grow and excel.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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