Essendon hosted a first Talent ID session of 2026 for its NGA program last month.
The event hosted participants aged 12-15 across two separate groups, with a mix of 80 boys and girls in attendance from a diverse range of countries including Lebanon, India, Philippines, Egypt, Samoa, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Brazil.
The majority of participants came from our local EDFL and RDFNL leagues, with additional representation from WFNL, JFNL, and YFNL.
This was the first NGA Talent ID session at the Hangar since February 2025, with the previous two sessions hosted externally by EDFL clubs - Northern Saints (Isaac Kako’s former club) and Dallas Football Club (a newly formed club).
Both venues are within a 20-minute drive from the Hangar, further strengthening our 'backyard' connection with the local community.
We had strong AFL and AFLW representation on the night, with Jayden Nguyen and Hussien El Achkar from the men’s program, along with AFLW players Stephanie Wales, Maggie MacLachlan, Courtney Murphy, Taya Chambers, and Amy Gaylor generously volunteering their time to support coaching.
A highlight of the evening came when former NGA participant Jayden Nguyen shared his journey - reflecting on joining the program at age 12 and how that experience helped shape his path to becoming an AFL player today.
The upcoming NGA games will be hosted on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 April in Seaford, where Essendon will field NGA teams in both the boys’ and girls’ tournaments. These games provide a valuable opportunity for players to benchmark their development and compete against emerging talent from other AFL clubs’ NGA programs.
Getting involved
To find out more information about Essendon's NGA, please contact us at community@essendonfc.com.au.
