The Brisbane Lions Hyundai Help for Kids Lions Academy has been a pathway to AFL for 8 players on the Brisbane Lions' list.

Following Archie Smith’s senior debut on Saturday night, all eight Academy graduates on the Club’s primary and rookie lists have now played senior football this season.

The Lions have fielded a record six Academy players twice in 2016 – Essendon, Port Adelaide and in a sign of the Lions’ latest crop of talent coming through, in the Club’s NEAFL game against Aspley a record 15 U18 Academy players played in the curtain-raiser to the seniors last Saturday.

Of those 15 Academy players, six were 17 year olds, two of which were playing their first senior game of football at any level.

2016 Draft and Lions Academy prospects, Jacob Allison, Jack Rolls, Declan Watson and Elliott Himmelberg have been regulars in the Lions’ Reserves.

Allison, Watson and Himmelberg are among 80 players from around the country to have been invited to the AFL’s National Draft Combine be held in Melbourne between October 6-9 while Rolls who earned a NEAFL Rising Star nomination in June will compete in the State Combine the following week.

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