Beau Addinsall, Zeke Uwland and Kalani White are among the next generation of AFL stars.
Beau Addinsall, Zeke Uwland and Kalani White are among the next generation of AFL stars.
In addition to each achieving success through the Gold Coast SUNS Academy over the past few years, at the start of Term 3 the trio scored one of their biggest milestones to date.
Following their standout performances during this year鈥檚 AFL National Development Championships (NDC), Beau, Zeke and Kalani were subsequently selected in the 2023 AFL U16 All Australian Boys team.
To put this mammoth achievement in perspective, only one player from the entire state of Western Australia was invited to join the All Australian Boys 鈥� and we are congratulating three All Saints students among the five total SUNS Academy players to be selected.
Director of Sport Fergus Leslie says an achievement like this is rarely seen.
鈥淚t鈥檚 unbelievable,鈥� says Mr Leslie. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think many other schools in the country can say they鈥檝e had three All Australians in the team at once. As a whole School, we are very proud of the boys.鈥�
Beau has had a lifelong passion for footy and says there are many strong friendships and connections he has developed through the sport. During the Championships, he took home the Alan McLean Medal for best and fairest player of the series pool (which included Gold Coast, Sydney, Brisbane and Tasmania) in addition to the SUNS Academy MVP award.
He averaged 28 disposals per match and booted no less than five goals in a brilliant game against Tasmania, his best of the tournament.
Beau is proud to represent All Saints and remarks on the school鈥檚 personalised support structure for studying while playing sport.
鈥淎ll Saints isn鈥檛 necessarily an AFL school, like the others out there who specialise in the sport or have specific programs in AFL,鈥� explains Beau.
鈥淚t gives a really good balance between sport and school to help our chances of success.鈥�
One might think that Zeke is 鈥榝ollowing in the footsteps鈥� of older brother and current SUNS player Bodhi (Class of 2021), but it鈥檚 crystal clear from his work at the NDC that this fired-up midfielder is confidently forging his own path.
During the Championships, Zeke delivered a stellar performance with touches in the high 20s and three goals against the Swans in a match he describes as 鈥榟ard won鈥�.
鈥淲e hadn鈥檛 played our greatest carnival until that point, particularly the first game against Brisbane, but as a team against Sydney we just scrapped our way over the line,鈥� he says.
Outside of AFL, Zeke is working towards a career in health and fitness.
鈥淚deally playing professionally is the dream, but it鈥檚 always smart to have backups,鈥� he says. 鈥淎 career in health keeps it relevant to footy as well, because that鈥檚 obviously my biggest passion.鈥�
At just under two metres in height, we didn鈥檛 doubt Kalani鈥檚 ability to stand head and shoulders 鈥� literally and figuratively 鈥� above the competition.
Kalani was hot on the mark throughout the NDC series, working defence on both ends of the field like a seasoned pro.
Kalani鈥檚 dad, former Fremantle and Melbourne ruck Jeff White, decided to pull a bit of a prank on his son during selection day for the All Australians.
鈥淥ur head coach gave me a call after training, and dad was trying to trick me to say he was calling about something else 鈥� but then the coach gave me the good news,鈥� Kalani jokes.
Kalani feels lucky to have found his love for AFL while at All Saints.
鈥淛ust the equipment, the support, the awesome fields and the coaches, we all should feel pretty blessed,鈥� he says.
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