THE PORT ADELAIDE Football Club congratulates three of its Next Generation Academy graduates for their inclusion in the AFL’s NAB AFLW Academy for 2022.

Keeley Kustermann, Shineah Goody and Lauren Young were named among 27 players in the national academy program which will give them access to expert coaching, high performance and wellbeing staff.

West Adelaide and Goodwood Saints product Kustermann is regarded as one of South Australia’s best draft prospects for the 2022 draft.

The 17-year-old is already an All-Australian (2019) and was previously named in the SANFLW’s team of the year (2020).

Fellow West Adelaide and Goodwood Saints player Lauren Young was also named in the academy squad after her breakout debut SANFLW season in which she won the SANFLW Best and Fairest among other awards.

Young was named despite being a year off being drafted and currently recovering from a knee reconstruction.

Goody is also a bottom-age inclusion in the academy squad but the Woodville-West Torrens and Henley Sharks talent is an exciting prospect for the 2023 draft.

The only other player to be selected from South Australia is North Adelaide’s Hannah Ewings.

National Academy manager and coach Tarkyn Lockyer said the program was an opportunity for talented athletes to develop themselves and their football. 

“Members of the NAB AFL and AFLW Academy will be given the opportunity to develop themselves as people and players under the guidance of expert coaching, high performance and wellbeing staff," he said. 

“The program is aligned with the National Talent Pathways philosophy of ‘Developing Better People, Better Players’ by using a holistic development approach to focus on the growth of the individual, on and off the field, and their ability to contribute to a team environment.

“The program content will be delivered through a mixture of face-to-face and online modules. Each of the squads will also get the opportunity to showcase their talents in a high-performance camp and representative game."

Top age (eligible for the 2022 NAB AFLW Draft)

Bottom age (born 2005)