Joel Jeffrey, Ben Jungfer and Malcolm Rosas join an expanded AFL Academy

CLUB and representative duties have combined to lift Top End youngsters Joel Jeffrey, Ben Jungfer and Malcolm Rosas into the expanded NAB AFL Academy Program.

The three Territorians will join a squad of 30 players in the Allies Academy, which includes some of Australia’s best young football talent from the NT, NSW-ACT, Tasmania and Queensland.

A total of 150 players in their draft years of 2019 and ‘20 who will be engaged in high performance hubs conducted across five talent regions — Vic Country, Vic Metro, South Australia, Western Australia and Allies.

Three-time Brisbane premiership player Luke Power will coach an Allies squad made up of 20 top age players and 10 bottom age.

Jungfer (Waratah) and Rosas (Darwin Buffaloes) have been selected as 17-year-old top age players, with Jungfer earmarked as an inside midfielder and Rosas a small utility.

Jeffrey, the son of Wanderers great Russell Jeffrey, earned selection as a 16-year-old or bottom age player after being identified as a marking forward.

AFLNT talent and pathways manager Wally Gallio said the trio had been identified as some of the best talent in the country and will be exposed to a “terrific program.’’

“They all showed great attributes and Allies coach Luke Power said he was really impressed with how they worked the ball inside a contest and their kicking and hand skills were on par with players who have made it,’’ Gallio said.

“They’re all really good in traffic which is what caught their eye, and with Joel particularly for his age and his size, with his marking ability.’’

The Academy members will do an induction in the coming weeks before their first training camp at an AFL Club from December 1 to 14 and will also train with the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns AFL squads.