Southern league: Young guns selected in development squad

Cheltenham’s fast-rising Austin Johnson is among the players selected in the Southern league-St Kilda development program.

Austin Johnson marks for the Rosellas last Saturday. Pic: Andrew Keech, Cheltenham FNC

Cheltenham coach Des Ryan says his young wingman Austin Johnson is capable of playing football at a higher standard than the Southern league.

He even suggests he could be AFL material.

Johnson, 19, kicked four goals and was among his team’s best in last Saturday’s victory over Mordialloc.

He’s one of the league’s “young guns’’ selected for a development program being held in conjunction with St Kilda Football Club.

“A bloke asked me last week if he could play in the AFL and my answer to the question was physically and skill-wise, the ability of him to go from Z to A in a quick spurt of time is 30 hours a week of footy,’’ former Richmond defender and Frankston VFL captain Ryan said.

“I think he could play AFL footy, to be quite honest.

“If you leapfrog 18 months down the track … and there are 100 of them out there, don’t worry about that … they can really leapfrog once they get into the right environment.’’

Austin Johnson in action for the Rosellas last Saturday. Pic: Andrew Keech, Cheltenham FNC

Johnson made his senior debut for Chelt in 2019 and in the same year played in the St Bedes College team that won the Herald Sun Shield.

He trained at VFL club Frankston ahead of this season but didn’t make the list.

“His running capacity is pretty good … he’s a high-cruising player, he gets right back, he gets right forward, he’s a point post to point post sort of wingman.

“He’s reasonably well accredited in a lot of areas. His contested marking is good. He’ll stand under the ball and take them.’’

Ryan said that in the absence of interleague, Southern should consider arranging an Under 23 representative match with another league to showcase its best young talent.

The SFNL-St Kilda senior development squad is for male and female players aged from 18-22 and is a 10-week program.

It’s aimed at helping the players develop their skills, fitness and education.

Testing was conducted last Monday.

Former Saints star Nick Dal Santo and St Kilda AFLW coach Peta Searle are overseeing the program at RSEA Park.

SFNL CEO Lee Hartman said it was a “fantastic opportunity’’ for the league’s young and talented players.

“To have the support of the Saints and to have Nick and Peta on board I think lends credence to the program and it’s something I’m sure will be sought after,’’ he said on the league website.

Dal Santo said: “It’s a great initiative from the league to give so many the opportunity to further their career … worst-case scenario is they’re going to be better players and people off the back of this 10-week program. Best case is they may well end up getting drafted.’’

Clubs were invited to nominate players, and all four divisions are represented.

The female squad is being finalised.

SFNL Development Squad

Lachlan Waldren (Bentleigh)

Josh Mackie (Bentleigh)

Finn Ryan (Cheltenham)

Austin Johnson (Cheltenham)

Sam Hayes (Cheltenham)

Jon McGennisken (Carrum Patterson Lakes)

Rory Goldsmith (Dingley)

Remmi Faulkner Wood (Dingley)

Matthew Tighello (East Malvern)

Riley Turner (East Malvern)

Baron Grant (Endeavour Hills)

Luke Long (Frankston Dolphins)

Jack Agar (Hampton Park)

Ben Ingham (Heatherton)

Will Straford (Highett)

Mitch Barry (Keysborough)

Ben Stephenson (Mordialloc)

Thomas Schofield (Murrumbeena)

Max Mitchell-Russell (Port Melbourne Colts)

Mitchell Clarke (Port Melbourne Colts)

Mitch Torpy (Skye)

Matt Wetering (Springvale Districts)

Misilifi Faimalo (St Kilda City)

Tyrell Lafituanai (St Kilda City)

Jake Bakes (Oakleigh District)