Junior Grading

Balmain DFC will be running grading sessions from Sunday 2 November to Wednesday 26 November 2025 for junior players who wish to be selected for a graded team in the Winter 2026 season. The grading sessions will be held at Rozelle Parklands Sporting Fields (rectangular field).

Players need to check the grading schedule for the times and locations for their age group and complete the online registration form. All previous Development Players also need to complete the registration.

REGISTRATION FOR GRADING CLOSES 9pm Monday 27 October 2025.

If you will not be able to attend all the scheduled grading sessions, please let us know by filling in this form: Junior Grading – Unable to Attend Form.

Grading Schedule

FAQs on Junior Grading

Development Program Training Schedule 2026 (DRAFT)

Registration

Players MUST complete the online registration to participate in the grading process. Pre-registration enables the set-up of software used to complete the evaluation and selection process. Players who do not pre-register will not be allowed to grade. Registration closes 9pm Monday 27th October 2025.

If the number of registrations received for a particular age group is not sufficient to form a graded team for that age group there will be NO grading session for that age group. If this is the case, anyone who has registered for that age group will be informed once registration has closed.

All players need to attend the grading session scheduled for their age group. Please note that some age groups have TWO grading sessions. Players who are unable to attend one or both sessions still need to complete the online registration and must contact their Age Coordinator to discuss their circumstances.

** Players can only be registered to trial for a single age group – multiple registrations for different age groups are not permitted **

Before you register:

Accepting a place in a graded team requires additional commitment. Players & parents need to be aware they will:

  • Be required to train twice a week with the club’s Development Program
    • The schedules for the 2026 Development Programs will be available prior to offers being made
  • Be required to pay a separate cost that is applicable specifically for the DP program. This is in addition to the standard player registration fee for the Football Canterbury Association’s Winter season competition. You can reference the 2025 Player Registration fees as a guide for potential 2026 costs.
  • The DP fee for 2026 will be $520 in total
    • A 50% non-refundable deposit will be payable to accept a place in a graded team
    • The remaining 50% of the DP fee will be automatically deducted from your nominated method of payment two months later
    • A reminder that the DP fee is separate and in addition to the regular player registration fee for the Winter season
  • Be required to assemble at least 30 minutes prior to kick-off for all matches
  • Be required to assemble at least 10 minutes prior to training sessions
  • Understand and agree to the behaviour policy
  • Need to make themselves available for pre-season trial games, as well as for Football NSW tournaments including NSW State Cup and Champion of Champions (for U13-U16)
  • Ensure you have read the Grading Terms & Conditions which can be found here.

Trials are conducted by the Club’s Head Development Coach.

Players are assigned a number and will be guided through selected exercises and games based on their age group.

Players are assessed against four criteria and depending on age group may include:

  • Athleticism: Speed, strength, agility, balance
  • Technical: Passing, receiving, dribbling, shooting, heading
  • Tactical: Movement off ball, supporting, defending, transitional (or loose ball)
  • Overall impression: Activity, creativity, composure, communication, vision, problem solving

If you cannot attend for any reason, please let us know and we will advise about next steps.

A description of the drills for U8-U12s that will be assessed during grading can be found here

A description of the drills for U13-U16s that will be assessed during grading can be found here

Selection Process

Following the trial process, selectors review the assessments of each player and recommend the allocation of each player to a team. The results and recommendations are provided to the Development Committee for final consideration and endorsement prior to offers being made.

A minimum of 10 – 11 players (U8/U9), 12-13 players (U10-U12), and 14-16 players per team (U13-U16) are selected.

Offers to play in a graded team will be made via email. To accept your place, you must:

  1. Commit to train twice per week with the Club’s Development Program.
    • Training schedules will be provided prior to offers being made
  2. Pay the non-refundable deposit for the Development Program at the time of acceptance of the offer

Should any player not accept the offer (including payment of the Development Program fee) or decline the offer, the next highest ranked player will then be invited, and so on, until all places in the graded team are filled.