Nine Essendon Royals juniors earn A-Leagues academy chance
Cross Keys Reserve has proven a happy hunting ground for A-League academies in 2022, with no less than nine Essendon Royals players being made offers to join A-League academies.
Nine players, all coming from our Division 1 under-14 team, have been snapped up by A-League academies following a fantastic season with the Royals and will now get the opportunity to play in front of A-League developmental coaches week in, and week out.
Essendon Royals would like to congratulate all nine players on this achievement, those being:
- Kaelan Galea – Melbourne Victory
- Moush Sawiz – Melbourne Victory
- Alessandro Penna – Melbourne Victory
- Charlie Hoskins – Western United
- Tom Malliaras – Western United
- Anderson Back – Western United
- Lucas Caputo – Western United
- Nick Tzimos – Western United
- Matt Di Lorenzo – Western United
Whilst it is undoubtedly a blow for the Royals playing stocks to see nine talented footballers depart, it is equally a glowing endorsement of the job being done within our JBNPL program and by our coaches and football department.
The result is made even more impressive because a number of these players have played most of their pre-NPL football with the Royals.
Back, Caputo and Sawiz have all been a part of the club for a number of years, and they and their families have become a part of the fabric of our club.
The Sawiz family, in particular, have been outstanding contributors to our club. The Royals have supported Moush and his brothers by subsidising registration fees in exchange for assistance in coaching within our Community and Kick-Starters program, and we are so proud that by making this assistance available to Moush and his family, he has been able to take the opportunity with both hands and earn a fantastic opportunity to progress into an A-League set-up with Victory.
Like many before them, the Sawiz family have found a sense of community and belonging within the football family and the Royals, having arrived in Australia from Afghanistan in 2011.
All nine players join a growing list of players to successfully transition out of the Royals JBNPL system into A-League academies.
They will hope to follow in the footsteps of Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo, Royals Senior Men’s Coach Michael Ferrante, Melbourne City youngster Max Caputo, Western United Academy Coach Diogo Ferreira and Crystal Palace defender Polly Doran in making the progression from Royals juniors to professional footballers.
Head of Football and 2022 Under-14 JBNPL coach Vaughan Coveny said he was proud to see so many Essendon Royals get this opportunity.
“Any season where you see one or two players get this sort of opportunity, it’s a fantastic achievement by the club and the individual,” he said.
“But to see eight get the call-up in one season is genuinely incredible. It’s an amazing achievement for these players and the coaching staff that have made this happen.
“The Royals have a strong tradition of preparing players to take the next step in their careers, and we hope these boys can make the most of this opportunity.
“It’s a small step forward, and they have a long way to go, but they should be pleased to have earned this chance, and everyone at the Royals wishes them all the best.”