Fremantle legend Michael Walters has reflected on how the Next Generation Academy (NGA), proudly presented by Woodside Energy, has opened doorways for Indigenous and multicultural young players alike, pathways that weren’t as accessible when he made his debut back in 2009.

Following a 17-year career, Walters shared that although his time on the football field may be over, his support and investment in watching the next generation of players grow as role models for aspiring young people will never waver.

“I can't wait to see the NGA just grow and grow,” Walters said.

“You see a lot of these AFL and AFLW players come through from the NGA program, which just shows that it's an important program to have.

“As a young kid coming through, I was always skinny. I didn’t really know too much, I just had fun.

“With these academies and the coaching that’s out there, a lot of these players are raw, but they’ve also got a lot more coaching experience behind them through the coaches that are involved in the programs.

“To get AFL players to come down and watch and have that insight into those young players is a massive bonus.

“Josh Draper, Liam Henry, Brandon Walker, they’re role models and leaders in their own right, within their own nationalities and communities, so having these NGA programs is important.

“There’s definitely going to be an investment and interest for me in the longer term.”

Reflecting on his own career, Walters explained that being a role model for young Indigenous and multicultural people was a privilege and something he never took for granted.

“You give back insights, you give back experiences, and you give back a lot of knowledge within sport,” Walters said.

“I’ve been through the highs and lows of AFL football, through injuries, through being dropped.

“There are so many different barriers within that which can keep you down, but at the same time, it’s about using those to your advantage and showing them that you may go through these different cycles throughout your football career, but it's how you come out of them at the end.”

A key element of the NGA program for Walters has been showing participants that there is more to the experience than simply the end goal of making the AFL or AFLW.

“That next step is always going to be hard, and there are no guarantees,” Walters said.

“As players, we always talk about taking that next step, but the next step doesn’t necessarily mean AFL, AFLW or WAFL level.

“The next step could be gradual improvement in the way you approach football, whether that's your mindset, basic skill execution, leadership, and so on.

“There are so many different areas where you can take that next step.

“I’ve just encouraged players to always look at trying to get better with every situation in sport.”

For Walters, a major influence on the NGA is the guidance and mentorship of fellow former Indigenous Fremantle player Roger Hayden, who serves as a Game Development Coach, backed by his 128 games of AFL experience and years of leadership in the program.

“Roger Hayden is amazing for this program,” Walters said.

“Culturally, he knows who he is, but at the same time he’s been there he’s played a lot of AFL games and was a really good player.

“He’s massive for the NGA in terms of experience.

“He’s definitely a role model in his own right, from a playing perspective, but even more so for what he’s doing now.”

Fremantle’s NGA program continues to build upon its foundations, with Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans) becoming the first female player to be drafted to an AFLW team in 2024 after her time spent in Freo’s NGA.

In the 2026 Telstra National Draft, Fremantle added two more NGA prospects to the Club’s list, signing Toby Whan and Ryda Luke as Category B rookies.