ISAAC Luke’s journey in the world of Aussie rules football is an inspiring tale of talent, dedication and perseverance.

He first laced up his boots for the Newtown Swans at age five, after being introduced to the sport by a parent from his primary school, whose husband happened to be a coach.

This initial introduction paved the way for Luke to embark on an extraordinary sporting journey.

At age six, Isaac and his family relocated to Camden Haven, where he continued developing his game with the Camden Haven Bombers.

Despite his young years, Isaac’s talent did not go unnoticed, swiftly making his mark within the local AFL community.

And at the age of seven, he was called-up to play for the Under 11s team.

When he turned ten, Isaac decided to participate in open trials for the Sydney Swans Academy.

He was quickly accepted into their development program.

However, the demands of travel at such a young age eventually led Isaac to step back from the program to focus on athletics and sprint training.

In 2023, the Swans Academy ran trials at Coff Harbour for regional athletes after the Northern NSW AFL Championships.

A strong performance at trials earned Isaac an invitation to participate in ‘Benchmarking’, a prestigious, invite-only program reserved for talented players aiming to join the elite Swans Academy Under 16 or Under 18 squads.

This four-week training block is held throughout late November into December, with athletes traveling to Sydney twice a week to undergo a rigorous selection process.

When he first got the invite, Isaac said he “didn’t think too much of it”, as he didn’t think he would be successful.

His confidence grew throughout the program however and he began to consider the possibilities.

“It was pretty crazy when I was told that I was selected,” Isaac told NOTA.

His parents, Casey and Dylan, shared in the excitement of the announcement, demonstrating unwavering support for their son.

“It was one of those moments where we went: ‘Yes of course he did’, but then it was like: ‘What have we just signed up for?’.

“But it was actually really great, a nice early Christmas present.”

Dylan has since rescheduled his work to support Isacc to attend weekly training sessions in Sydney.

“Both Casey and myself like to give our kids the opportunity to do what they love,” Dylan said.

“Isaac’s selection in the Swan’s Academy is a testament to him.

“He takes everything in his stride and always gives 110 percent to his team.”

Isaac was one of two promising athletes selected in the program from the North Coast region, with Ned Lucas from Nambucca also gaining an Academy spot.

Isaac said the experience with the Academy has been nothing short of transformative.

“There is nothing on the coast that it can be compared to,” he said.

“The intensity when you train with the Swans Academy is extremely high level and the facilities are amazing.”

The competitive environment has pushed Luke to new heights, culminating in him playing at the National U16 Development Championships held recently in Queensland.

“I have had lots of great moments in AFL, but playing for the Under 16s Swans Academy at the Heritage Bank Stadium on the Gold Coast was amazing, especially as we were the winning squad,” Isaac said.

“I was just soaking up the experience.”

With big aspirations, support from his dedicated family and fueled by his passion for the game, Isaac’s future in AFL continues to look very promising.

By Kim AMBROSE