Photo: Solstice Digital
AFL Tasmania is pleased to announce that Jeromey Webberley and Jodie Clifford will lead the state’s Senior Talent Academy in 2025.
Webberley, who will continue to coach the Tasmania Devils in the Coates Talent League Boys under 18 talent pathway competition, will oversee the new senior program and will coach the men’s team, while former Tasmania under 18 coach Clifford will coach the women’s team.
Both coaches will lead Tasmania’s best men’s and women’s local footballers who dream of playing at a higher level and be responsible for creating strong links between the state’s junior and senior talent programs, including coaching philosophy, game style, training programming and preparation.
The Senior Talent Academy is being established in consultation with the state’s AFL/W club and will help to prepare aspirational Tasmanian players for the VFL/W and to trial for list spots.
Fostering a strong connection between the Devils’ elite junior talent pathway programs participating in the Coates Talent League under 18 competitions is an important part of the Senior Talent Academy structure, with much to be gleaned from the success of Tasmania in the Coates Talent League in recent years.
The new high-performance model for senior football will have training groups in all three regions and play a series of state representative fixtures against quality opposition across the year, including VFL and VFLW teams, while players will still represent their local clubs in their home region. The model will also be supported by a mid-season intrastate regional representative series.
Webberley has led the Tasmania Devils boys in the Coates Talent League with distinction for three years and will now get the opportunity to lead Tasmania at senior level. Clifford returns to the pathway programs after previously coaching in the Coates Talent League Girls in 2023.
In 2024, Tasmania’s senior representative teams have been coached by Deb Reynolds (women’s) and Trent Baumeler (men’s), who have played critical roles in setting up the state’s bolstered talent pathway system for 2025 and beyond.
An Expression of Interest process will be undertaken in the coming weeks to fill supporting staff and coaching positions for the Tasmania Devils talent pathways. The training and match schedule is currently being worked through and will be announced in due course.
Head of AFL Tasmania, Damian Gill said: “No one is a better fit to lead our newly established senior state program than Jeromey Webberley and we are delighted he has taken up the opportunity.
“Jeromey has produced at a high level for a long time now within our programs and I am really excited to see him work with our aspirational senior talent in 2025.
“It is great to welcome Jodie back to the fold to lead our senior women’s program. It was important to us that we find the right coaches to connect our programs in effectively with our existing Coates Talent League programs and Jodie’s background with our under 18 program is important in that.
“I truly want to thank Deb, Trent and all our coaches involved in the representative programs over recent years, the commitment of all involved was excellent. We have already received considerable interest from individuals keen to be involved in 2025 and we look forward to working through the process of building out the coaching team in due course.”
Tasmania Devils Head Coach Jeromey Webberley said: “I love coaching Tasmania and I am privileged to take the reins of the Senior Talent Academy in 2025.
“I am looking forward to working with our VFL aspirants and giving them the best chance to get the most out of themselves.
“I want Tasmania to be as successful as possible in the AFL and our programs next year are all part of preparing our state and our players for what is to come.”
Tasmania Devils Senior Women’s Coach Jodie Clifford said: “I am looking forward to coaching Tasmania at the senior level – I think we can take things to new heights for our best women in 2025 with this Senior Talent Academy.
“I am excited to play a role with connecting our best emerging women’s footballers from across the state. I have worked with many of the players previously and I think I have a lot of value to add to the programs and in ensuring strong links between our under 18 program and the high standard program we provide at senior level.”