The AFL has announced the 2013 Boomerang squad to compete at the NAB AFL Under 16 Championships in July, followed by an international tour in December.

The Flying Boomerangs is a program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys aged between 14 – 15 years which promotes personal development and leadership. It’s supported by the Coles AFL Indigenous Program. Former Port Adelaide player and current coach of the Division One Salisbury North Football Club, Eugene Warrior, will coach The Flying Boomerangs.

The squad of 25 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men has been chosen, based on football talent and leadership skills, by AFL’s Chris Johnson from the 2013 National KickStart Under -15 Championships held in Townsville. Jason Mifsud, AFL Head of Diversity, says the Flying Boomerangs program is a great opportunity for the best rising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent in the nation to develop, on and off the field. “The Flying Boomerangs will be exposed to elite training and coaching, as well as personal development opportunities during the NAB AFL Under 16 Championships (July 6 – 13) and the international high performance camp,” Jason says. “We are extremely excited by the appointment of Eugene Warrior as coach of the 2013 squad. “Eugene is part of the AFL’s Indigenous Coaching Academy, and his pathway to head coach of the Boomerangs is a strong example of the support and development opportunities that the Academy creates for rising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander coaches.

2013 Flying Boomerangs squad: Shai Bolton (Perth, WA), Kobe Broome (Brisbane South East, QLD), Lenny Christie (Kedron, Brisbane, QLD), Ezekiel Frank (Darwin, NT), Antionne Forrest-Yarran (Perth, WA), Denver Garlett (Perth, WA), John Garlett (Perth, WA), Jamie Hampton (Alice Springs, NT), Callum Harrison (Launceston, TAS), Dion Johnson (Warrnambool, VIC), Jordan Jeffery (Darwin, NT), Kym LeBois (Adelaide, SA), Keiran Martin (Alice Springs, NT), Liam Nelson (Surf Beach, NSW), Tommy Nickels (Northam, WA), Sam Powell-Pepper (Perth, WA), John Pupangamirri (Mullumbimby, QLD), Corey Raymond (Lajamanu, NT), Jy Simpkin (Shepparton, VIC), Kyle Thomas (Reservoir, VIC), Calvin Thorne (Mandra, WA), Samual Walsh-Bannam (Mill Town, VIC), Keenan Waterbury (Katherine, NT), Mathew Wilkes (Perth, WA), Anthony Young (Newborough, VIC)