A talented group of emerging young players are ready to showcase their skills at next week's Under 15's carnival, as part of Geelong's Next Generation Academy.   

Geelong’s Next Generation Academy is a talent program for young footballers of First Nations or culturally-diverse backgrounds, and supports them in working their way to elite talent pathways.

The Academy consists of 30 boys and 25 girls, all identified as the top talent in the next generation of footballers. In total there are 24 local clubs represented, 22 local schools, there are 28 Indigenous players and 27 players from Multicultural backgrounds. 

Across the past five weeks, the squads have been training hard in preparation for the Carnival, culminating in their final session and a jumper presentation at GMHBA Stadium last night. 

Present at the jumper presentation were special guests Ted Clohesy (who came through the program) and AFLW star Georgie Prespakis, who is also the coach of the Girls team alongside fellow Cats AFLW player, Amy McDonald. 

2025 marks the first time that Geelong has fielded a girls team in the NGA Games, a testament to the growing stature of junior football and the elite talent blossoming at grassroots level. 

Coached by Prespakis and McDonald, the girls team will be lead by captains Remy Silwa (Torquay) and Olivia Lasky (Lara), which was announced at the jumper presentation on Tuesday night at GMHBA Stadium. 

The 25 girls selected in the squad will compete in the Under 15's Carnival at Crofts Reserve in Altona on the 9th of April, playing four matches throughout the day. Geelong will take on other Next Generation Academy teams from Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Carlton and the Western Bulldogs. 

Following this, Geelong's Boys team will compete a day later, on the 10th of April at the same venue, Crofts Reserve in Altona. Similarly, the team will play four matches across the day as they prepare to take on Next Generation Academy teams from St Kilda, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne and Carlton. 

Geelong's NGA Boys team is coached by Cats Academy & Pathways Manager, Chris Lynch along with VFL Operations Manager, Aaron Black. The squad is also lead by two captains, Oska Rose (Newtown & Chilwell) and Sonni Andrews (Ocean Grove) which was announced on Tuesday night. 

Eligibility criteria for the Geelong NGA program include:

• Must Reside in the Geelong Cats zone in Victoria or the Northern Territory; AND
• Identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous)
• Was born in an African, Asian or non-English speaking country (Multicultural criteria met)
• Has at least one parent born in an African or Asian country (Multicultural criteria met); OR
• Has both parents born in a non-English speaking country other than Africa or Asia (Multicultural criteria met)

For more information on Geelong's Next Generation Academy, visit the link here.

Geelong's Next Generation Academy - Girls Team

Geelong's Next Generation Academy - Boys Team