Recruiting James Hird Academy (Father/Son and Next Generation)

[Yoda_]

Perhaps you could post it then and I’ll stick your post so you can keep it up to date

The James Hird Academy website has updated the list with next two years eligible kids

Official AFL Website of the Essendon Football Club

The official AFL website of the Essendon Football Club

www.essendonfc.com.au

 

[fairbump_playon]

the more I think about it the more clear it is that we need to re-name the james hird academy

James Hird Innocent Legend Academy

 

[crackers65]

I’m James Hird. No responsibility academy.

 

[fanuch]

The French connection

 

[RedmanWasHere]

The Anton Grbac academy?

 

[Howard Moon]

The ponds institute

 

[brutus76]

the Brewster Street bubs

 

[jmoo wan]

they should call it the no name academy and paint it black and white

 

[Schnitzengruben]

The Craig Bird Academy has a nice ring to it

 

[Yoda_]

Official heights recorded in pre season for our boys;

Hussein El-Achkar - 170.7cm [Calder Cannons]

Jad Naim - 183.2cm (2026 eligible)[Calder Cannons]

Olu Olulaken - 182.6cm [Calder Cannons]

Adam Sweid 175.3cm (2026 eligible) [Calder Cannons]

Alex Alessio - 200.1 (father/son eligible) [Calder Cannons]

Blake Justice - 190.1cm [Calder Cannons]

Tristan Leeds -188cm (this is not officially recorded but last researched height found for 2026 eligible Leeds)
[Calder Cannons]

Coen McGrath - 179.8cm [Calder Cannons]

Noah Caracella - 186cm (last recorded height researched and is playing as a 19 year old for Falcons) [Geelong Falcons]

Alijah Davey - 172.9cm [Oakliehg Chargers]

Calder plays Oakliehg on Sunday at 3:00pm at RSEA Park, few boys will feature for both sides.

El-Achkar, Sweid, Leeds, Alessio will feature for Calder, Alijah Davey has been found on the Oakliehg team list and will line up for the Chargers when available after school commitments (Xavier Believe)

 

[Phone]

The Adrian Dodoro Academy?

we need to remove the stink from essendon. we've removed Dodoro, now it's time to re-name the Academy which has not delivered sufficient results since it's formation

(to like, the Essendon Football Club academy)

 

[andleanback]

El achkar 4.2 and 15 touches in the first round of the talent league. I’d say at minimum he’s going to be an nga cat b on our list

 

[Yoda_]

Fair representation in the Calder game today,

El-Achkar 4 goals, 2 behinds from 15 possessions was electric.

Adam Sweid (alo 2025 eligible) was named best on with 25 possessions, 5 marks, 4 tackles and 2 goals

Alex Alessio returning as a 19 year old had 11 possessions to go with 7 hitouts

Tristan Leeds had a dirty day as a pseudo key forward with 4 (kicks) possessions

Alijah Davey on the other side for Oakleigh had 5 possessions, 3 marks, 2 tackles


Sweid is a 175cm small mid/fwd, El-Achkar ive been big on for 12 months now. I'll give a better run down once ive watched the replay.

 

[ghostdog]

Fair representation in the Calder game today,

El-Achkar 4 goals, 2 behinds from 15 possessions was electric.

Adam Sweid (alo 2025 eligible) was named best on with 25 possessions, 5 marks, 4 tackles and 2 goals

Alex Alessio returning as a 19 year old had 11 possessions to go with 7 hitouts

Tristan Leeds had a dirty day as a pseudo key forward with 4 (kicks) possessions

Alijah Davey on the other side for Oakleigh had 5 possessions, 3 marks, 2 tackles


Sweid is a 175cm small mid/fwd, El-Achkar ive been big on for 12 months now. I'll give a better run down once ive watched the replay.

What position does El Achkar play?

 

[Yoda_]

What position does El Achkar play?

small fwd/midfield

Think Isaac Rankine

 

[ghostdog]

small fwd/midfield

Think Isaac Rankine

Available end of this year?

 

[windyhill]

What made Darren Bewick so special? To me he is a giant of the EFC. He was obviously very talented but to me he never ever gave up! He was tenacious but his best quality is that he never ever quit! I don’t care if Kobe is more talented!, I just want to see that never die attitude!

Don't forget the two knee reconstructions. **** me. Bloke was electric. ****ing electric.

 

[ghostdog]

eDPS, is it possible to get the boys and girls lists in the sticky updated, please?

Grazi
Gd

 

[Yoda_]

Available end of this year?

yes,

(UPDATE: HuN CTL preview mentions both Leeds and Sweid are 2026 eligible)

Available end of 2025,

Hussein El-Achkar (170cm/ small fwd/mid)
Alex Alessio (199cm / ruck)
Alijah Davey (173cm / small fwd / mid)
Coen McGrath (179cm / small fwd)
(few more in our NGA but non named in the Calder U18 squad)

Available end of 2026
Tristan Leeds (188cm / fwd)
Adam Sweid (175cm / small fwd/mid)
Blake Justice (190cm / utility)
Jad Naim (183cm / mid)
Olu Aolalekan (182cm / utility/def)
(few more in our NGA but non named in the Calder U18 squad, think some may be in the U16 squad)

Available end of 2027

Koby Bewick (not recorded but apparently mid - high 170's at 15/16 / goal kicking midfielder)
Tevita Roda (NGA)
Moustafa Darwish (NGA)
Ronan Yow Yeh (NGA)
Tom Caracella
Max Alessio
Mara Lovett-Murray
Taj McPhee
Logan Daniher
Aidan Ramanauskas

 

[eDPS]

eDPS, is it possible to get the boys and girls lists in the sticky updated, please?

Grazi
Gd

I don’t think I actually put those in I think it was Lore ?

 

[Vindicater]

Nice to hear we have some talent coming through.

 

[Zach Package]

El-Achkar looks to have got himself into much better physical nick this year.

Looks like he can actually get around the ground this year from the highlights I've seen this year

 

[Lore]

I don’t think I actually put those in I think it was Lore ?

And I don’t think the club has posted updated lists for years

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Don't forget the two knee reconstructions. **** me. Bloke was electric. ****ing electric.

that return game against Geelong... that was something else. I was in the Ponsford Stand and I will never forget it

 

[Yoda_]

And I don’t think the club has posted updated lists for years

yes they have, was 3 days after I emailed them that we got nothing about the JHA at all last year

 

[Yoda_]

El-Achkar looks to have got himself into much better physical nick this year.

Looks like he can actually get around the ground this year from the highlights I've seen this year

I would argue the opposite. He almost walked into a reasonable Calder midfield as an underage, the 2025 group looks more even with no real star power. An abundance of underages and cant start in there.
Looks electric still and could be a potential top 40 pick