Essendon Royals open Expressions of Interest for 2024 JBNPL Program
We are excited to announce that the Essendon Royals Junior Boys National Premier Leagues (JBNPL) program is now accepting Expressions of Interest for the 2024 season.
The Royals are proud to field teams in the Under-14, Under-15, Under-16, and Under-18 age groups as part of Football Victoria’s Junior Boys National Premier Leagues competition. Our JBNPL program is designed to support talented young male footballers in their development, providing them with extra training sessions led by professional coaches.
Participating in the JBNPL program offers players the opportunity to regularly test their skills against the best players in their age group across the state. The competition commences in February 2024 with an 11-game grading competition, played in local conferences, before teams are split into three different divisions in every age group, based on their results in the grading period.
Despite being one of the younger JBNPL programs, the Royals have a proven record in developing young players. In 2023, we achieved three teams qualifying for Division 1 status, with the fourth team qualifying for Division 2. All Division 1 teams have proven competitive against the best in the state, including A-League Academy opposition.
The Royals have also been a happy hunting ground for A-League academy clubs, with a significant number of our players being approached by A-League academies in recent seasons. This is a testament to the quality of our program and the talent of our players.
In 2024, we will run a competitive trial process, with limited openings available to new players. Typically, the club only adds players to supplement those who have moved on.
Our JBNPL program has also supplied no less than five graduates into the Senior Men’s squad this season, with four of them playing significant Senior Team minutes in 2023 in the Club’s NPL3 side. This is a clear indication of the pathway our program provides for young players aspiring to reach the senior level.
We invite all interested players to fill out the form below to express their interest in joining our JBNPL program for the 2024 season. We look forward to welcoming new talent to our club and continuing to help develop all the players who form a part of our JBNPL program.
UPDATE: Having received in excess of 400 Expressions of Interest, EOIs for this program are now closed.