Surjan takes on the role of the club’s new look SANFL Reserves side with a remit to develop talent and cultivate a strong and dynamic team to compliment the club’s League side.
While it will play in the SANFL Reserves competition, the club is firmly viewing this team as a talent academy – one that can expose players to the elite resources of an AFL operation while developing their skills in South Australia’s second-tier competition.
Gray and Raikiwasa announced in SANFL League pool
The club’s Academy list will exclusively comprise of players aged 18 to 22 and 40 players have already committed to training with the club from November 18.
That list will be whittled into a final squad over the pre-season period.
Included in that training group will be a number of the club’s 2013 league, reserves and under-18 players as well as several candidates from outside the Port Adelaide system and interstate.
Surjan told portadelaidefc.com.au he was excited about the opportunity to take on his first lead coaching role after his own successful career, having worked as the club's SANFL talent manager following his retirement from football earlier this year.
“I’m really excited about the role and it is a real honour to be the first ‘Academy’ coach of the club,” Surjan said.
“I’m really thankful the coaching staff at Port Adelaide gave me the opportunity to take on the role and I’m looking forward to the start of pre-season in a few weeks.
One Club. One portadelaidefc.com.au
“It’s good to have quite a few of the kids from our underage programs step up for the start of pre-season as well as a couple of others from outside the club who want to be in an elite program and give themselves the best opportunity to be drafted from our system into the AFL.
“It’s a very exciting time.”
portadelaidefc.com.au will kick start its pre-season coverage on November 18, including all the news on the new-look Academy team for 2014.
