ANGUS Anderson has taken his place amongst some of the best juniors in Australia.

The former Sawtell/Toormina Saints player has made the Allies squad as he vies for selection for next month’s NAB AFL Under 19 National Championships in Queensland.

The Allies representative team comprises the best junior players from NSW, Queensland, ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania, as they take on representative teams from Vic Metro, Vic Country, South Australia and Western Australia at the national championships.

Anderson and his Allies squad will attend a training camp this weekend where they will vie for selection for the 2021 NAB AFL Under 19’s Championships which begin on 8 July.

Anderson’s inclusion in the Allies squad comes as a result of a number of standout performances for the Sydney Swans Academy Under 19 team in the NAB League, where he captained the team and was awarded best on ground in his side’s win against the Gippsland Power

Anderson joined the Swans Academy after trialling for the Southport Sharks VFL team which saw him included on the supplementary list.

The 18-year-old had an outstanding AFL North Coast season playing for the Sawtell/Toormina Saints in 2020, as he was awarded the under 17’s best and fairest as well as runner-up in the seniors best and fairest.

AFL North Coast Community Football Manager Paul Taylor said the young midfielder was an example for other North Coast juniors of what they could achieve if they put in the hard work.

“Not only has Angus demonstrated his commitment to pursuing representative opportunities, he continues to show his commitment to local footy, turning out for the Sawtell Toormina Saints Senior team at every possible opportunity,” he said.

“Last year’s winner of the AFL North Coast Under 17 Best and Fairest and runner-up in the Senior medal is not only forging his own path towards the elite game, he’s also showing the current crop of North Coast Force players that there’s a pathway to the top from local footy if they’re prepared to work hard enough.”

The hard work has certainly paid off for the Sawtellian with his inclusion in the Allies squad, the result of which has involved having to undertake a fair amount of travel in recent years.

In 2019 he temporarily relocated to Melbourne following his selection in the Eastern Ranges Under 16 NAB League team, last year he made two trips per week to the Gold Coast from his home in Sawtell for the five weeks of the Southport trial, and this year he has made numerous mid week trips to Sydney to attend Swans Academy training and has played NAB League matches for the Swans in Melbourne and Sydney.

 

By Aiden BURGESS