At the end of October, the AFL announced that a World XVIII team would play in the 2010 NAB Under 16 National Championships. This competition is the highest level of competition for elite junior players in Australia and something of a draft camp for the AFL. The team could include players under the age of 18 from the USA. Shortly, after the announcement, USFooty asked those interested in playing on the World Team to put forward a nomination to USFooty's International Liason, Paul O'Keeffe. "We have had six nominations and I am really pleased with the response. Based on what I know today I am highly confident that a number of the players will be selected," says O'Keeffe.

After years of lobbying the AFL and individual AFL clubs to be open to the possibility of recruiting from the US, 2010 may end up being something of a watershed for USFooty. O'Keeffe is hopeful that by introducing the World Team, the AFL has provided an elite pathway for US players. "I am excited about this idea and am really glad to see the AFL be creative when it comes to International Development. To have an international U18 team in a U16 competition would have been unheard of just two or thee years ago. The impact to the USAFL will be subtle in the short-term as we do not have a large number of U18 players, but over the long-term it will be important as a young player will have opportunities to play at a high-level much sooner, and it will become a great feeder to the Revolution."

As well as the opportunity for some under 18 players to get experience at the highest level, 2010 may see the AFL debut of an American as Milwaukee native, Shae McNamara has signed a two year deal with the storied Collingwood Magpies. O'Keeffe thinks that Shae may be a great example to other AFL clubs. "I am personally excited for Shea. To me it does not matter how an American makes the list, it just matters that they do. What I like about the Shea story is that he has come to the AFL after his collegiate career is over. In all my discussions with the different AFL clubs they all want to recruit an American at 17 years of age. I have told the clubs for years that a player in the US will not give up their chance to play Division 1 college, regardless of the sport. I really hope that Shea’s story will chance the perception of the AFL Clubs. I have argued for years that the best way to recruit elite US athletes is right out of College when they do not get drafted. If I was an AFL club I would be pursuing the top 10 players from College Basketball, Football, Soccer and Hockey who were not drafted."

McNamara's opportunity to join the Magpies was helped in part by the AFL's implementation of the International Rookie list which gives AFL clubs the opportunity to expand its list without the cost of losing senior players. "The International Rookie list is a wonderful addition and I am proud in the USAFL’s part in making it happen. IT is a positive development as it takes away the financial risk of the AFL clubs looking beyond Australia’s shores," says O'Keeffe.

Although these developments and other developments in South Africa, Papau New Ginuea and New Zealand may increase the interest in elite development, O'Keeffe believes that USFooty with the AFL's support will continue to focus on grassroots development. "We have always been a grass roots focused organization and that will not change. And there is no pressure from the AFL to change this focus. If anything it is the opposite; the AFL strongly supports our approach and knows that it is the only way to grow the sport in America. The stronger our grassroots the effort the more likely we will be in producing high quality players. We will always have both the Revolution and Freedom as the elite development sides of the USAFL."

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