Uncertainty on when and where NT talent programs will kick off is hurting players and officials
AFLNT boss Stuart Totham says the flow-on effect of the coronavirus pandemic has stalled the progress of underage talent programs throughout the NT
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AFLNT boss Stuart Totham says the flow-on effect of the coronavirus pandemic has stalled the progress of talent programs throughout the NT.
Parents and young players aspiring to reach the elite level are disappointed at the lack of direction from the league and parent body the AFL on the progress of talent programs.
Territory Thunder’s under-18, U16 and schoolboy sides are also waiting on a directive from head office on when present day and future training programs will begin.
The resignation of AFLNT talent manager Brenton Toy last month due to the financial uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic and doubts on Gold Coast Suns bound Academy coach Jason Roe’s future have added to the confusion.
If Roe does move to the Suns to take up a coveted development role with the AFL minnows, a coach and associated support staff will have to be named, along with a talent manager and relevant training programs.
Totham has no immediate answers to the questions, saying only that he expected some sort of directive from the AFL through the month of June.
“Right now I don’t have any line of sight details on what all the talent programs for 2020 will look like,’’ he told the NT News.
“I expect in the coming weeks we’ll start to get a feel for what they look like. Obviously the focus of the AFL has been to get elite competition up and going as we’ve seen with the July 11 restart to the national competition.’’
Totham said the talent programs, underage championship dates and training programs and details of the national draft will all roll out subsequent to the restart.
“Remember we still have most of our staff on standown (until the end of September) and that also applies to most of our talent management team,’’ he said.
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