POTENTIAL father-son and academy prospects Nick Blakey and Bailey Scott have starred in the second round of the NAB AFL Under-16 Championships.
The pair are in the extremely rare position of not only both being eligible to join two clubs as father-son picks, but also a northern academy, having lived in their respective zones for the required five years or more.
Blakey, a smart left-footed midfielder who marks well above his head, gathered 23 disposals and seven inside-50 entries for NSW-ACT in its 23-point win over Queensland on Tuesday at Metricon Stadium.
He is the son of former Fitzroy and North Melbourne champion John Blakey, who played 135 games for Fitzroy before crossing to North, where he played 224 games including the 1996 and 1999 premierships.
As well as qualifying for both the Lions and Roos under father-son rules, Blakey can also join the Sydney Swans as an academy prospect given he has lived in the region while his father has been an assistant coach with the Swans.
Scott is eligible to join the Roos and Geelong as a father-son choice, where his father Robert Scott played between 1986-2000.
Scott played 132 games for the Cats before crossing to North for 113 games, and was also a member of its '96 flag line-up. But the family has moved to Queensland, and the Broadbeach product will also be eligible to join Gold Coast through its academy when he qualifies for the draft in 2018.
The hard-working midfielder gathered 28 disposals for Queensland against the Rams and impressed with his run and carry.
The duo are believed to be the first to qualify for priority selection at three different clubs under the father-son and academy rules, and will be able to choose which option they follow.
North Melbourne recruiting manager Bryce Lewis told AFL.com.au the club was monitoring the pair's progress.
"Those boys have had an involvement with the club. As they get older the AFL rules permit you having more access to them," Lewis told the Road to the Draft podcast.
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"Football commitments and school commitments permitting, we'd be looking to get them in to do more with them at the club, similarly to the national academy kids who spend a week or two at AFL clubs.
"We had our '96 premiership reunion the weekend just gone and for someone like me that doesn't seem like 20 years ago but it's flown.
"To think that potentially those two boys could potentially be playing with North Melbourne in 18 months is exciting, but as we know there's a lot that needs to happen before then."
The Roos will also have access to Joel Crocker in 2018, who is the son of North director of coaching and former player Darren.
Tasmania was too strong for the Northern Territory in the second game of round two of the division two under-16 carnival, claiming a 71-point win.
NAB AFL UNDER-16 CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS – DIVISION TWO, ROUND TWO
NSW/ACT 13.11 (89)
QUEENSLAND 9.12 (66)
GOALS
NSW/ACT: Carmody 3, Close 3, Blakey 2, Reed 2, Peatling 2, Holten
Queensland: Ansell 3, Greenwool, Scott, Marsh, Mills, Beaman, Portelli
BEST
NSW/ACT: Blakey, Reed, Close, Walker, Carmody, Driscoll
Queensland: Scott, Ansell, Marango, McFadyen, Stackelberg
• NAB AFL Under-16s: 2016 matches and venues
TASMANIA 16.9 (105)
NORTHERN TERRITORY 4.10 (34)
GOALS
Tasmania: Boyd 4, Rubock 3, Thomas 2, Turner 2, Best, Kalbfell, Jubb, Dakin, Banks-Smith
NT: Palmer 2, Blake, Cameron
BEST
Tasmania: Thomas, Jones, Boyd, Gadomski, Best, Dakin, Farrow, Turner
NT: Bailey, Green, Blake, Holt-Fitz, Quinn
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