Record SANFL draft haul as hidden pressures on young players revealed
The psychological toll on young AFL hopefuls could be significant, new research shows, as a record number of SANFL prodigies are called up to the top league. SA footy standout Zac Schwarz tells how “suddenly, I had to figure out what the rest of my life looked like”.
A record 14 young footballers from SANFL clubs were selected across the AFL National Draft’s two nights this week, seven of whom were in the first round.
For the prodigies whose names were called, the draft marked the start of a lucrative career; in 2024, the minimum wage for a rookie-listed AFL player was around $90,000, rising to $130,000 for a senior-listed player.
But new research shows that for the hundreds of other young footballers who had spent their lives hoping for selection, the psychological toll could be significant.
Flinders University research found that the draft represents success for only a tiny fraction of young players.
“As few as 0.01 per cent of more than 640,000 young footballers and athletes from around Australia are selected in the annual draft process,” Associate Professor Sam Elliott said.
In a new report, Mental health and wellbeing of elite youth Australian footballers on the road to the AFL Draft: A Longitudinal Analysis, a survey of 418 Under-18 SANFL players collated 765 responses throughout their pre-season, mid-season, and end-of-season stages.
The research tracked wellbeing indicators including anxiety, depression, sleep, eating behaviours, social support, and self-compassion.
“Concerns were raised about those exiting the talent pathway undrafted,” Elliott said.
“Preliminary findings show that young footballers’ mental health remained largely steady across the season, with only a small rise in sleep difficulties around mid-season. Significant changes were noted at mid- and end-of-season for wellbeing, combined anxiety and depression, and sleep difficulty.”
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One SA player told InDaily how he coped after missing out on selection.
Zac Schwarz had a standout 2024 season with Woodville West Torrens in the SANFL Under-18 competition. The contested midfielder’s year was highlighted by a performance against West Adelaide, where he recorded 21 disposals and kicked five goals.
These performances sparked interest from multiple AFL clubs, but he was not selected.
“I felt like I did all I could to put my name out there,” Schwarz said.
“It was a strange feeling. Suddenly, I had to figure out what the rest of my life looked like. I’d never really thought about a plan B; I put all my eggs in one basket.”
Now working as a tradie, Schwarz balanced work with his commitment to football, continuing with the Eagles senior program.
“It was still an elite standard of football. We went up against ex-AFL players and the best SA talent,” he said.
The reality of an AFL career was significant. While Schwarz’s AFL dream had not been realised, he told of remaining determined and still holding aspirations to be picked up as a more mature-age player.
The Flinders University research identified a range of pressures that could affect young footballers, including performance pressure, upward social comparisons, perfectionism, burnout, overtraining, abuse or maltreatment, parental pressure or conflict, and increased susceptibility to injury.
Many players also experienced body image dissatisfaction and weight concerns, particularly in comparison to AFL physical benchmarks.
“Crucially, players with higher self-compassion and stronger social support reported far better mental health overall. Self-compassion emerged as a powerful protective factor, linked to lower risks of depression, anxiety, and disordered eating, and to significantly higher well-being,” Elliott said.
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“Social support also played an important role, improving well-being and reducing depression risk.
“Looking beyond the AFL draft, we emphasise a need to maintain relationships within the coach-parent-athlete relationship. Having a strong immediate support network with coaches and parents or caregivers can help a player cope with disappointment if their draft year does not go as planned.
“Even if players are fortunate to be drafted to an AFL team, these support networks can prove critical in helping them navigate the pressures and expectations of senior, elite football,” Elliott added.
Elliott also emphasised the juggling act young players faced.
“Young players have to juggle their sporting ambitions with study, work and social commitments, which also requires support and monitoring to keep a young athlete on track – developing important psychological skills to cope with setbacks during times of both success and failure.”
As South Australia celebrated a historic draft haul, Elliott emphasised the need to remember the many young footballers who dedicated their year to the same dream.
“They would wake up unsure of what came next,” he said.
Lukas Cooke’s path had its share of highs and setbacks. In 2021, he was heavily involved in the SA state team and helped the Eagles Under-18s win the premiership. But injuries, including a fractured finger and hip aggravation, kept him on the sidelines for ten crucial weeks.
“I kicked four goals against Western Australia, and it made me feel like my abilities were at AFL level,” Cooke said.
He took part in interviews with clubs and state combine fitness testing, but when the draft came, his name was not called.
“I was disappointed at first, but I knew I had the following years to get better,” he said.
Cooke was now thriving as a key defender at SANFL level while studying Human Movement.
Standing 196cm, he recently won the Powerade Breakthrough Award for his performance against Port Adelaide. Regardless, optimism remained, inspired by this year’s mature-age draftees like Angus Anderson (Sturt) and Billy Cootee (Norwood).
“It gave me good belief that the chances were still there,” he said.
