The Western Bulldogs are looking at improving their talent pathways as they launch an academy in the western suburbs in affiliation with Coates Talent League club Western Jets.
Via an invite-only program, the initiative focuses on providing more opportunities for the next generation of footballers.
This will be in addition to the club’s Next Generation Academy (NGA), which has seen Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Buku Khamis, Cody Raak and Luamon Lual (Essendon) all feature at AFL level.
“It’s pretty exciting to launch the Bulldogs Futures Academy in partnership with the Western Jets,” Bulldogs GM of Football Operations Matt Egan said.
“There’s been some work in the background from a lot of people at the Club coming up with a program that bridges the gap for kids who are 13-15 in the Western region.
“There’s a gap at the moment in the footy landscape. Kids love playing footy and want to do that year-round – the one or two nights a week sometimes isn’t enough – so for kids who aren’t just passionate about footy but want to take it to the next level, the aim is to keep ramping that up.
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“This is a four-week pilot to see if there’s interest. We had over 180 kids here on night one, but the aim over the years to come is to develop a pathway, identify talent, and give them the opportunity to access some good coaches and great facilities.”
Western Jets Talent Manager Reuben William said the program will help “fast-track” football prospects, getting them ready for the rigours of top-flight football.
“This program is a great initiative that will help fast-track the development of talent in the Western region,” William said.
“While we are only just kicking off the pilot program in 2025, we are excited about the growth of the program in 2026 and beyond, which will provide opportunities for more athletes within our region.
“With an aligned pathway leading to the Western Jets programs, the talent and participation benefits for our program and region moving forward will be immense.”