AFL Launches Virtual Reality Training for Young Athletes

The league and Orygen Digital introduced a VR goalkicking project to build mental resilience during the 2026 combine.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Youth

AFL Launches Virtual Reality Training for Young Athletes

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Do you believe virtual reality tools are an effective way to help young people build mental resilience?

The AFL and Orygen Digital launched a new virtual reality goalkicking project to help young athletes manage pressure during the 2026 Telstra AFL and AFLW National Draft Combine. The immersive programme allows players to simulate high-stakes competition scenarios to better develop their emotional regulation.

Why it matters

This initiative aims to build mental resilience in young athletes that extends beyond the football field into their everyday lives. By simulating elite competition pressure, the project provides a safe environment for players to practice essential attentional control skills.

The simulation was developed by experts at the Orygen Digital XR Innovation Lab to recreate elite pressure. It serves as a testing ground for evidence-based digital tools designed for player performance and resilience.

The players

AFL

The Australian Football League is the pre-eminent professional competition for Australian rules football in the country.

Orygen Digital

This organisation is a specialist research centre focused on developing digital mental health solutions for young people.

The details

Co-developed by the AFL Mental Health and Wellbeing team and Orygen Digital, the technology uses headsets to place athletes in realistic goalkicking scenarios. The simulation focuses on building foundational skills in attentional control and emotional regulation for participants.

The 2026 Telstra AFL and AFLW National Draft Combine served as the venue for the project debut in 2026.

Culture Shift

This project follows the methodology established by the Orygen Digital XR Innovation Lab for using immersive technology to treat and manage mental health. It marks a broader cultural shift toward integrating high-tech digital tools into the development of young Australian athletes.

Young athletes participating in the draft programme benefit from targeted training that directly addresses stress management. The shift toward digital-first resilience training may eventually influence the tools available at local amateur football clubs across Australia.

The takeaway

Using virtual reality for mental training provides athletes with a unique opportunity to build skills in a controlled, low-stakes environment. Developing these emotional regulation strategies early can lead to better performance outcomes and improved mental well-being both on and off the field.