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Victorian private schools dominate as Brighton Grammar leads the way
The dominance of Victoria's private school system on the AFL draft has again been made clear, with another huge haul of draftees coming from a select few schools in 2024.
Brighton Grammar led the way, with five players from the prestigious school finding homes in the national draft.
They included top-25-picks Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions, pick 5), Harrison Oliver (GWS Giants, pick 19) and Luke Trainor (Richmond, pick 21).
St Patrick's College Ballarat had three graduates selected in the national draft and one more picked up in the rookie draft.
Parade College also had three players selected in the national draft, while Caulfield Grammar had two players picked up in the national draft and one more in the rookie draft.
Among the first 30 players picked, the Associated Public Schools (APS) competition had 11 draftees, while the Associated Catholic Colleges (ACC) competition had a further five top-30 picks.
Brighton Grammar went unbeaten in the APS competition this year with a 10-0 record, while Parade College secured back-to-back Herald Sun Shield titles.
Zak Johnson who was selected by Essendon at pick 70 in this year's draft joined two former school football teammates at the Bombers in Issac Kako (pick 13, 2024) and Nate Caddy (pick 10, 2023).
"I played First 18 footy at Parade last year as a Year 11, and I was lucky enough to share the field with thoseboys,"Johnson said.
"(Kako) was a gun at Parade and in the grand final last year for school he actually kicked the winning goal, so that was pretty cool."
St Patrick's College Ballarat has now produced 124 AFL players, including 39 since 2003.
Only 19 of the 71 players selected in the national draft came from public schools, but that group did include top-10 picks Harvey Langford (Mornington Secondary College), Tobie Travaglia (Bendigo Senior Secondary College) and Alix Tauru (Lowanna College).
The dominance of Victoria's private school system on the AFL draft has again been made clear, with another huge haul of draftees coming from a select few schools in 2024.
Brighton Grammar led the way, with five players from the prestigious school finding homes in the national draft.
They included top-25-picks Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions, pick 5), Harrison Oliver (GWS Giants, pick 19) and Luke Trainor (Richmond, pick 21).
St Patrick's College Ballarat had three graduates selected in the national draft and one more picked up in the rookie draft.
Parade College also had three players selected in the national draft, while Caulfield Grammar had two players picked up in the national draft and one more in the rookie draft.
Among the first 30 players picked, the Associated Public Schools (APS) competition had 11 draftees, while the Associated Catholic Colleges (ACC) competition had a further five top-30 picks.
Brighton Grammar went unbeaten in the APS competition this year with a 10-0 record, while Parade College secured back-to-back Herald Sun Shield titles.
Zak Johnson who was selected by Essendon at pick 70 in this year's draft joined two former school football teammates at the Bombers in Issac Kako (pick 13, 2024) and Nate Caddy (pick 10, 2023).
"I played First 18 footy at Parade last year as a Year 11, and I was lucky enough to share the field with thoseboys,"Johnson said.
"(Kako) was a gun at Parade and in the grand final last year for school he actually kicked the winning goal, so that was pretty cool."
St Patrick's College Ballarat has now produced 124 AFL players, including 39 since 2003.
Only 19 of the 71 players selected in the national draft came from public schools, but that group did include top-10 picks Harvey Langford (Mornington Secondary College), Tobie Travaglia (Bendigo Senior Secondary College) and Alix Tauru (Lowanna College).
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