The AFL has today released the fixture for the 2022 NAB League Boys under 19 talent pathway competition, which starts on Saturday 2 April, with the QBE Sydney Swans Academy to take part in the first four weeks of the season.
After the last two seasons have been effected by the pandemic, the Sydney Swans Academy players will be looking for a more consistent year of football and will feature in the 2022 season that features 12 teams from Victoria and the Tasmania Devils competing in a 13-game home-and-away fixture.
Teams representing the GWS Giants, Sydney Swans, Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns Academies will be part of the first four weeks of the season, while the Northern Territory is fixtured to play in Rounds Three, Four and Five. This gives players from Queensland, New South Wales/ACT and the Northern Territory the opportunity to compete against the most talented young footballers from Victoria and Tasmania.
At the conclusion of the home-and-away season, the top three teams will have a week off while the remaining 10 teams will contest a Wildcard Round on 27/28 August to determine positions four to eight. This system gives all teams the opportunity to contest a final and is in line with focus of the competition being on player development.
A three-week knockout finals series starting on the weekend of 3/4 September will feature the top eight sides, culminating in the NAB League Boys Grand Final on Saturday 17 September.
NAB LEAGUE BOYS 2022 – Sydney Swans games
ROUND ONE - Saturday April 2
Northern Knights v Sydney Swans - Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn, 2:15pm
ROUND TWO – Saturday April 9
Sydney Swans v Tasmania Boys – Blacktown International Sportspark, Blacktown, 1pm
ROUND THREE – Friday April 15
Sydney Swans v Gippsland Power Boys – Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Sandringham, Victoria, 2pm
ROUND FOUR – Saturday April 24
Sydney Swans v Greater Western Victoria Rebels – Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn, 2:15pm
Click here to view the full NAB League Boys 2022 season fixture
As part of the partnership between the AFL and News Corp Australia, the Herald Sun will continue to live stream one NAB League Boys match per week in 2022, with all remaining matches to be live streamed on the NAB League App.
The NAB League App is available via the Apple and Google app stores. All NAB League Girls and Boys matches will be available to watch on demand via the NAB League App.
The NAB League Boys Morrish Medal will be awarded to the competition's best-and-fairest player as judged by the field umpires who will record their selection of the three best-and-fairest players in the match in order of preference.
In 2021 the NAB League Boys season was called off early because of Victorian Government rules and restrictions caused by the pandemic.
Even though last season ended prematurely, 43 of the 83 players taken in the 2021 AFL Draft were from the NAB League, highlighting the competition’s strength in producing many of the future stars of the men’s game.
