We're thrilled to be launching Young Bloods, which takes you behind-the-scenes of our QBE Sydney Swans Academy.
The 28-part TikTok docuseries, or Tok-umentary, follows eight aspiring young players from the male and female Under 18 squads throughout the 2024 season, blending documentary footage with self-filmed vision from the players themselves.
With exclusive access to the QBE Sydney Swans Academy, during each of the 60-90 second TikTok episodes, viewers will see players immerse themselves in the Sydney Swans' ‘Bloods’ culture, celebrate success, and build resilience as they deal with setbacks including losses and injuries.
"Our club has amassed over 160,000 followers, 4.5 million likes, and tens of millions of views on TikTok, and we're thrilled to be sharing this series with our fans on a platform where they're so passionate about Swans content," said Sydney Swans Executive General Manager – Marketing and Communications, Loretta Johns.
“Every player has their own story to tell, and this innovative series captures the voices of a few of our talented 17-year-old athletes. We hope their dedication and camaraderie inspires teenagers to keep playing sport."
Since being founded in 2010, players drafted from the QBE Sydney Swans Academy have included Callum Mills, Isaac Heeney, Errol Gulden, Nick Blakey, Braeden Campbell, Sam Wicks, Ella Heads, Ruby Sargent-Wilson, Holly Cooper, and Kiara Beesley.
"With close to a million #aussierules related posts and billions of views, TikTok is where sports fandom thrives and Australians connect with their favourite athletes and stories, which makes the platform the perfect fit for a series as powerful as Young Bloods," said Wade Shipard, Publisher Manager, Sport, for TikTok Australia and New Zealand.
Ahead of the launch, TikTok held online safety sessions with QBE Sydney Swans Academy players and their parents to discuss TikTok's safety tools and help them remain safe online.
The series is produced by Hustle Media, including director/producer Hugh Humphreys and producer Sarah Neill, alongside executive producer Rosie Lourde.
"Our aim was to take a documentary and create it in a new format that can speak to young people where they are already sharing and viewing content - on TikTok. It’s a unique series in the way it combines traditional documentary footage with videos the athletes have shot themselves, so the end product is partly created by the talent, and becomes a collaboration," said Hustle Media director Hugh Humphreys.
"Young Bloods is so powerful because of the unprecedented behind-the-scenes access we were provided, and how it let us capture the dedication, commitment, and raw emotion of this new generation of athletes."
Screen Australia Head of Online and Games Lee Naimo said, “The team behind Young Bloods has put in an incredible amount of work to bring this innovative TikTok series to life, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience it.”
“Set against the high-stakes world of professional AFL, Young Bloods offers a unique, relatable, and aspirational journey as we follow these talented young athletes chasing their dreams. I’m confident the series will resonate with viewers, who will be right there with the players, cheering them on as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of their AFL journey."
QBE Insurance General Manager, Marketing & Customer Insights David Hirsch said, “The QBE Sydney Swans Academy plays a key role in our partnership with the club.”
“By empowering young athletes with the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, we’re building a brighter future both on and off the field. We're thrilled to have played our part in bringing this docuseries to life and showcasing the Academy to a new audience."
Young Bloods received principal production funding from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW, supported by the Sydney Swans and QBE, and proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with AFL NSW/ACT.
Watch Young Bloods exclusively on TikTok by following @youngbloodsafl with new episodes premiering every day this week and for more, visit www.youngbloods.au.
