South Aussies selected in 2025 AFL and AFLW Academies

By ZAC MILBANK

Eight of South Australia’s brightest young talents have been selected in the 2025 AFL and AFLW Academies.

Central District pair Dyson Sharp and Matt LeRay, Sturt’s Harley Barker and North Adelaide’s Sam Cumming have been named in the AFL Academy headed up by former Collingwood star Tarkyn Lockyer.

Strongly-built midfielder Sharp, who featured in the Bulldogs’ Hostplus SANFL League finals campaign, headlines the Croweaters while LeRay is an emerging utility.

Barker is a silky-skilled wingman with great running capacity for the Double Blues while Cumming is coming off a campaign in which he won the 2024 SANFL U18 MVP while playing for the Roosters.

SANFL will also be represented with four selections in the 2024 AFLW Academy.

South Adelaide premiership utility Lily Baxter will no doubt display her versatility to play in multiple roles while Sturt’s Monique Bessen is coming off a season in which she was selected on the wing of the SANFLW Team of the Year.

Glenelg’s Eloise Mackereth has emerged as one the of the most exciting key forwards in the competition while Bulldogs forward Sophie Eaton has an uncanny knack of finding the goals when her team needs a major.