AFL Academy coach Tarkyn Lockyer has singled out two Vic Country prospects as standouts from Monday’s training session, which brought the best Victorian talent together for the first time in months.
COVID played havoc once again with underage football in 2021, forcing the cancellation of the NAB League after Melbourne went back into lockdown in July.
Lockyer said the session, which was held at Trevor Barker Oval, saw Vic Country pair Judson Clarke and Kai Lohmann shine.
Clarke is a lightning fast small forward who plays for the Dandenong Stingrays, while Lohmann is a medium forward hailing from the Greater Western Victoria Rebels.
“As much as you tell the kids that it’s a low-key session, they can’t help themselves and are very competitive,” Lockyer said on Sportsday.
“A couple of the players, particular in Vic Country stood out with their intensity. They were excellent.
“A couple of guys like Judson Clarke and Kai Lohmann in particular were really impressive (during Monday’s session).”
Lockyer explained his role at the AFL Academy, which in a normal season brings together the best 17 and 18-year-old players from around the country to play matches.
He said his role largely centred around preparing elite talent for the rigours of AFL football, providing them with another pathway ahead of being drafted.
“We’re talking about the top 25 to 30 players in the country (in the AFL Academy),” the ex-Magpie said said.
“They’re in a heap of different programs across school footy, NAB League, Vic Metro or Vic Country plus the Academy, so they have a lot of different touch points.
“The thing that we concentrate on and are judged - because we’re working with the elite talent - is how we prepare them so they’re ready for the next level, so they can step into a (senior) environment and be ready to go from day one.
“A lot of the stuff we do is around leadership, expectation and education around what to expect from the next level.”