THE AFL’s national academy as we know it has been abolished after 22 years of fostering the next generation of the game’s greats.

Foxfooty.com.au understands the league will this week announce its productive breeding ground for future stars has been radically revamped to include more boys, but at the expense of elite training camps and nationwide programs afforded to all other mainstream sports in Australia.

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The new system will see teenagers confined almost exclusively to state programs, aside from up to two under-17s (level 1) games per year and one under-18s (level 2) match against a VFL team in April each year.

The state-based program will broaden the net to as many as 300 teenagers per year, as opposed to the current number of 60.

This will allow more young footballers to gain access to elite coaching, but potentially lessen the time the best of the best can spend with the likes of Luke Power, Brad Johnson, Peter Sumich, Nick Dal Santo and other retired greats.

There is still a push for an under-17s squad to play against the senior New Zealand team across the ditch in April, while the Grand Final day curtain raiser will almost certainly remain as it is.

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This year, the level two academy team defeated North Melbourne’s VFL side. This annual encounter against a VFL team is set to continue but it will likely be the only chance elite under-18s have to play together before being drafted.

International tours and even the work experience fortnight teenagers spend at AFL clubs are also likely to be binned, sources have confirmed.

It’s the biggest makeover of the pathway system since the national academy was introduced in the mid-1990s.

Foxfooty.com.au revealed on April 23 that the league had canvassed several stakeholders on the proposal, which the AFL internally categorises as “decentralising” the system.

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Now a decision has been made and relayed to several of these stakeholders, some of whom were sceptical of the revamp in the first place but understood the benefits of widening the talent pool to 300 teenagers at any given time.

And while the greater reach is widely seen by AFL clubs as a positive, another perspective offered by a source familiar with the plans said this element will be offset by the fact there will be dramatically reduced interaction between draftees before they enter club-land.

Tours to the United States and Europe for the 30 best players in an age group — at least in the short-term — will be shelved.

Previously, an elite junior from Western Australia could spend two years playing, training and touring alongside a Victorian contemporary. The national academy helped break down state barriers and meant first and second round draftees rarely entered AFL environments without a buddy from the national academy.

Ben King was awarded best on ground when the AFL Academy faced North Melbourne’s VFL side at the MCG in early April. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Media/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Other critics suggested the lack of national exposure will lead to teenagers choosing rival sports over Australian football due to the potential to travel overseas and be part of an elite pathway before entering the professional system.

Luke Jackson, who is believed to be the best junior ruckman in Western Australia, recently played basketball for Australian in the Oceania Championship held in China. His next assignment is at the World Championships in Argentina.

Multiple sources confirmed there are fears talented athletes like Jackson will be lured towards other sports due to these international opportunities that are no longer afforded in the AFL system.

The AFL’s head of talent, Tristan Salter, has overseen the formation of the concept.

“Whatever we do, it’s about trying to engage as many kids as possible and do it as efficiently as possible,” Salter told foxfooty.com.au in April.

“If we can continue to find ways to include more kids in a quality program, ultimately we will be as efficient as what we can be.”

The AFL Academy team pose for a photo before the match between AFL Academy and North Melbourne VFL. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Media/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Luke Power, who succeeded Brenton Sanderson in October 2016 as the coach of the national academy, is understood to be still in the frame to oversee the new program, albeit in a different role to his current job description.

One of his greatest challenges will be selecting squads for the three aforementioned matches in future years given the lack of exposure kids will have against elite talent in a national system.

The AFL partially reshaped its model when Power was appointed, signing Paul Hamilton as Victorian talent manager, Brett Allison as Vic Metro talent manager, and Lee Fraser as Vic Country manager.

The AFL elected not to comment when contacted by Foxfooty.com.au.

To mark the 20-year anniversary of the academy in 2016, the AFL released its best ever team of players from the program, captained by Joel Selwood.

NAB AFL ACADEMY 20 in 20 TEAM

DEFENDERS: Joel Corey (Geel), Ben Reid (Coll), Luke Hodge (Haw), Grant Birchall (Haw), Michael Hurley (Ess), Jarrad McVeigh (Syd)

MIDFIELDERS: Chris Judd (WC/Carl), Patrick Dangerfield (Adel/Geel), Shaun Burgoyne (PA/Haw), Joel Selwood (captain, Geel), Cameron Ling (Geel), Nic Naitanui (WC)

FORWARDS: Cyril Rioli (Haw), Lance Franklin (Haw/Syd), Chad Wingard (PA), Luke Parker (Syd), Josh Kennedy (Carl/WC), Jarryd Roughead (Haw)

I/C: Scott Thompson (Melb/Adel), Daniel Wells (NM)