Sanderson to coach top AFL juniors

Sacked Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson is now in charge of the AFL Academy.

Sanderson, who coached the Crows for three seasons, will be head coach at the academy.

He will be responsible for the development of the game’s elite teenagers before they are drafted to AFL clubs.

The players are picked from the national under-16 and under-18 championships.

The Crows sacked Sanderson last September and he was then linked to a possible role at Collingwood, coached by his good friend Nathan Buckley.

Brad Johnson and Michael O’Loughlin previously coached the academy squad and the position is now full-time.

Johnson will continue to work in the academy system under Sanderson.

“I was part of the first Australian under-18 squad to tour Ireland in 1991 and have always had enormous respect for the program,” Sanderson said.

“Having coached at AFL level, I knew I could offer the required skill set to help narrow the gap between the jump from underage competition to an AFL list.”

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