Essendon’s NGA (Next Generation Academy) program continues to push strongly into 2026, hosting a huge 'Come and Try' session at the Dallas Football Club in Jacana in late November.

In addition to Club pathway coaches and staff, the session was aided by former NGA products Isaac Kako, Jayden Nguyen and Huss El Achkar, as well as former Bachar Houli Foundation member Saad El-Hawli. 

Essendon VFLW players Sophie Molan and Tayla Hart-Aluni also helped facilitate and run training, which comprised a large mix of youngsters from the North-West region fitting NGA criteria. 

The session coincided with the AFL's confirmation of updated NGA zones for the clubs. 

The Bombers will retain the Tiwi Islands, West Arnhem Land, and the North-West Corridor, strengthening the Club's longstanding relationship with Hume City Council and the broader region. Kyneton was also added to the Club’s academy zone as of this year. 

The Next Generation Academy 'Come & Try’ sessions form a cornerstone of the program and its engagement in the community. Typically, the sessions incorporate football skills development, leadership programs, fitness testing, training education, and community pathway support. More than 350 participants came through the Come & Try sessions in 2025. 

Most recently, standout products of the NGA program El Achkar (Essendon) and Adam Sweid (Fremantle) were selected in the 2025 National Draft, earning the reputation as 'genuine excitement machines'. 

Thanks to their development and opportunities through the NGA pathway, El Achkar and Sweid get the chance to fulfil their dreams of playing AFL, with the former fully engrained in the red and black alongside Kako, Nguyen, and El-Hawli. 

General Manager - AFL Daniel McPherson, says the Club is extremely proud of the impact the Next Generation Academy is having on the community and in developing athletes.

“We really value our partnerships across the Essendon NGA region – the Calder Cannons, Hume City Council, Merri-bek City Council, Moonee Valley City Council, and Macedon Ranges Shire Council,” McPherson said. 

“Our close ties with the EDFL and RDFNL, and their aligned local football clubs, as key feeder leagues are incredibly important, and we’re thrilled that our NGA zone enables us to continue strengthening these relationships.

“We’re also extremely proud to celebrate our athlete outcomes over the past two years with Isaac, Jayden, Huss, and Adam making their way onto AFL lists.”

Essendon has made a significant investment into the Essendon Pathways Academy (aged 15), with hundreds of girls and boys participating in the intensive program. They trained with EFC coaches, worked with support staff, and accessed education programs designed to develop them as footballers and as people, to support the talent pathway into our James Hird Academy. 

The James Hird Accelerator program saw 18 players (aged 16 to 19) consistently engaged throughout the year, under the tutelage of coaches Marty Allison and James Polkinghorne, with coordination from Shane Abdilla and Georgia Harvey. This program, inclusive of Sweid and El Achkar, is focused on providing the best developing EFC NGA talent an opportunity to fast-track their game and education in the lead up to a pursuit for an AFL contract.

"The access, development, and education the athletes receive really highlights Essendon’s commitment and investment in the Next Generation Academy. This is a crucial element of our future development across both our AFL and AFLW programs,” McPherson said. 

“Ultimately, our goal is to foster both elite talent and strong community bonds. The engagement we see at sessions like the one at Dallas Football Club proves we’re building pathways that are meaningful for these young people, and that's the true measure of success for the NGA." 

You can check out Essendon’s NGA page for more information on our pathways and criteria.

The transition to the new zones will commence in 2028. This means clubs who have draftees in their region who are now in a new zone will be eligible to join their original club in the 2026 and 2027 drafts, but the zones will change over if the players are three or more years away from draft age.