Some of Australia's most promising young Indigenous footballers will come together in Melbourne this week for the inaugural boys AFL Indigenous and Multicultural Futures program.
The program features talented players aged 16 and 17 from across the country and is designed to provide further development opportunities for footballers already involved in state and academy pathways.
The Indigenous Futures squad includes players from the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania.
Three NT Academy players have been selected in the Indigenous side, with Dwaine Ah Sam, Tyler Kelly and Jaren Sambo all named.
A fourth Northern Territory player, Daniel Mbemap, has been selected in the Multicultural Futures team.
The two sides will meet in a showcase match at RSEA Park in Moorabbin on Wednesday, September 30.
The Indigenous squad also features several players already involved in AFL club academy systems, including Hugh Crockett, Franklin Murray-Wright and Ryder Murray from the GWS Giants, and Pharrell Trapman from the Sydney Swans Academy.
Western Australia is strongly represented through players including Jarra Mallard, Gus Mourish, Djavian Narrier, Luke Websdale and Eli Wirrpanda.
The new Futures program sits alongside the AFL's existing Indigenous and Multicultural talent programs for older players and is aimed at keeping talented youngsters engaged in elite football pathways.
Many of those taking part are expected to progress into the 2027 AFL Indigenous and Multicultural Academy.
That program provides year-long football, education and personal development support for players approaching their draft year.
The Futures camp will include football training as well as sessions focused on leadership, cultural wellbeing and social and emotional development.
AFL Diversity Talent Programs Manager, Narelle Long, said the program was designed to support players both on and off the field.
"After the success of our inaugural girls' program earlier this month, we look forward to our boys experiencing the same excitement and connection during their camp this week," Long said.
"The Futures program will help us to continue our engagement and better support talented young players, and will further enhance their football and personal development."
Long said players who continued through the academy system would receive more individualised support as they moved closer to draft age.
"As players progress through the Academy program they will have access to a specialised development model focused on their individual needs to further assist them to reach their Draft potential, as week as tailored support to assist their growth on and off the field," she said.
The boys program follows the inaugural girls Futures camp held earlier in September.
That program finished with the Indigenous Futures side defeating the Multicultural Futures team by one point on September 13.
The boys match will begin at 1:30pm on Wednesday and will be streamed through the AFL website and AFL app.
