The Saints’ selections in the 2018 Draft already have the faithful in full voice.

The impact of Matty Parker, Callum Wilkie has been immediate, while the likes of Nick Hind, Robbie Young and Max King have been touted as future stars.

But through St Kilda’s Next Generation Academy, a new contingent of budding talents are waiting in the wings.

For NGA products Bigoa ‘Biggy’ Nyuon, Jackson Voss and Jacquin Mifsud, the program has taken them a step closer to their AFL dream.

While there’s still a long way to go and no guarantee of what the future holds, the three will be eligible for the National Draft at the end of this season.

READ: Holistic approach sees NGA sees NGA thrive

And through their work with the NGA, they’ve been given a crucial insight into the workings of the AFL system.

St Kilda has welcomed the trio into the fold, with the young talents given access to all the program has to offer, inclusive of training with the Saints’ senior squad.

“It’s really good to be a part of the community – people dream of this and we’re living it being here,” Voss told saints.com.au.

“The NGA Program has helped me so much with getting in contact with elite players and coaches and it’s really helped my professionalism and understanding of what goes on at the AFL level.”

Voss has been no stranger to the machinations of the AFL world, with his father Brett playing 135 games for the Saints – making Jackson a potential father-son selection – while his uncle Michael was one of Brisbane’s greatest players.

And even with such a background, the experience of being at RSEA Park is still something he hasn’t quite gotten used to.

“Being a Saints supporter, it’s like being starstruck every single time someone walks past,” Voss said moments after Jack Steele greeted the boys.

While the NGA has a strong focus in fostering the footballing talents of the prospective youngsters, it’s been the external components and emphasis on the game’s mental aspect which has been equally significant to the trio.

READ: Future on display against Demons

St Kilda’s Adam Skrobalak has overseen the boys’ development and has played an integral role in shaping their mindset as they gear towards reaching the elite level of competition.  

“One of the biggest shocks people get when they come in from NAB League to AFL is how to prepare, not only physically but mentally, what their diet is, all their weights, their football, et cetera,” Skrobalak said.

“I think it’s important that these guys get a look at what it’s like to be an AFL player.  A lot of people think from the outside it’s this wonderful life, but there’s a lot of hard work involved and they get a good look at that early on.”

“It’s a holistic approach with the NGA, and that’s given them a bit of a background into that and what’s expected if they make it to the top level.”

It’s been taken in stride by Mifsud, who has utilised all the services the NGA has to offer to achieve balance and realise that the off-field components are just as important as those on-field.

“It’s what we love doing; we love playing footy so when you’re doing something you love, you always find a way to make it comfortable for yourself to find that right balance,” Mifsud said.

“Even for me, Allan Murray who looks after the Aboriginal boys in the program, he talks to us and we speak to him every so often – he’s really good in making sure we have that balance, that we’re relaxed and that we’re looking after ourselves.”

All three talents have their hands full with university or the studies of Year 12, and although the workload and rigours of study can get stressful at times, it’s an outlet which the NGA encourages.

READ: Luke Power: Biggy 'impressive'

“I remember one of the first times Nick Dal Santo spoke to us and he said ‘even if you’re one of the best AFL players, you’re only going to play for 15 years’,” Mifsud said.

“Putting it in perspective, that’s not really a quarter of your life, so off the field is just as important, whether it be schooling or a trade, it’s really important to make sure you have stuff outside you can rely on.”

Having been involved in the NGA for several years now, Nyuon has been “grateful” for the amazing opportunity offered towards him, which has played a monumental role in his journey towards the top-tier competition.

“It’s helped me develop a lot, especially coming through and seeing what it’s like to be at the elite level and get a taste of what it’s like to be an AFL footballer and experience what it’s like at the next stage,” Nyuon said.

“In some sort of way, it’s almost a head-start that a lot of players don’t have, but it’s a great opportunity and I’m thankful for that.”

Voss echoed Nyuon’s thoughts and acknowledged the importance the NGA has had in their potential career development.

“Without the Next Gen Academy, we wouldn’t be here where we are today,” Voss said.

READ: 'Biggy' named in curtain-raiser

“I mean our skills wouldn’t be as good, we wouldn’t know as much about the football and we wouldn’t get opportunities like this to hang around the AFL squad.” 

“I guess training with the Saints, if we do make it to the next level, makes the transition that much easier and really helps us to understand what it takes to get to there.”

Although transforming upcoming talents into footballing superstars is a key goal of the NGA, the character-building and development the program offers is arguably its most defining trait.

“That’s one thing that’s really important to bring [is] good character and they’ve all got that ticked off pretty well,” Skrobalak said.

“We’ll be watching closely as they develop over the season, help them along the way and doing anything we can to push them along.”

“Time will tell on how they go, but what we’ve seen so far shows that they’re all quality people.”