THE REVAMPED NAB AFL Under-18 Academy Series begins this weekend, with plenty of talent on show around the country.

The academy series is the restructured version of the former division two championships, with all four northern clubs to field their own academy sides in the new competition alongside Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

Here are some draft prospects who might catch the eye across the five-round carnival, which concludes in May.

BRISBANE LIONS
Comments from Queensland talent manager Adrian Fletcher

Connor Ballenden
29/3/99
199cm/95kg
University of Queensland

Key forward

"He will play as a key forward and he has really good launching power into the air; he can hit a pack and split it open. The good thing is you can play him up the ground because he's so good at turning and getting the ball in, and he's a nice kick. We all know he's going to be a nice player, he just has to learn a little bit more about using his body strength and getting the defender in front of him to lean on them and get the ball at the back."

Jack Clayton
25/2/99
184cm/77kg
University of Queensland
Defender

"Jack's a left footer with a low centre of gravity and good speed. He has good ground level coverage. He will have to go through the midfield at some stage of his career, but he can play really well off half-back, which he will for the Lions academy. His ball use is good, and he can use his right foot pretty well. He can hone in on improving that run-and-carry and be a bit more damaging. Jack chose being in the national academy over a cricket scholarship, which is a big thing for the AFL."

Reid Gordon
27/6/99
186cm/76kg
Noosa
Midfielder

"Reid plays out on a wing and offers great speed, and is a good mark over his head when the chance comes for him to take a few grabs. He's a good user of the ball and just needs to get a little bit better at the contested side of his game. He's a good run-and-carry player, who kicks the ball nicely."

Jack Payne
15/10/99
195cm/93kg
Noosa
Key defender

"He has really good speed and has that body shape that allows him to match up on the strong bodies. He's clean at ground level and kicks the ball pretty well out of defence. Jack's a discus thrower from Noosa, and is a really good size coming through."

Ben Sloan
27/8/99
189cm/80kg
Mt Gravatt/Redland
Defender


"Ben's a good mark and good kick, and at his size can be used in a few different spots. He'll play half-back for the Brisbane Lions academy, but he can also play on the wing or across half-forward, so he really has that versatility to move around wherever he's needed." 

GOLD COAST
Comments from Queensland talent manager Adrian Fletcher

Kwaby Boakye
16/3/99
186cm/88kg
Broadbeach
Medium defender

"He's tested really quickly over 20 metres and has really good agility. He will give the Suns some good run and drive off half-back with his left foot. He was added to the NAB AFL Academy as a multicultural player but the Suns don't have first access to him under northern academy rules as he hasn't lived in the region long enough." 

Brayden Crossley
16/8/99
198cm/105kg
Labrador

Ruckman

"Brayden has had glandular fever but he's starting to work back into better fitness. He still has a way to go, but he's just a natural footballer. He loves contact. As a ruckman he's Shane Mumford all over; he's physical and throws himself around. If he can get his body right, he will show in the back-end how good he can be. He's a footballer."

Sam Davidson
6/5/99
180cm/70kg
Palm Beach
Midfielder

"He's a really quick winger whose pace sets him apart. He has a strong body and can take on the first tackler and then get into space. He likes to take the game on and you'll see him zip through at times. He did the pre-season with the Suns and is in pretty good form."

Brodie Foster
3/3/99
178cm/74kg
Surfers Paradise Demons
Defender

"We see him just as a really natural footballer. He's got a low centre of gravity – long body and short legs – but he just reads the game so well. He plays half-back and can go through the midfield, but he's so good behind the ball and he sees it so well. He sets up the play from there but in the long-term would probably have to go through the midfield."

Harry Simington
28/3/99
189cm/85kg
Labrador
Midfielder

"Harry is a tall midfielder who kicks the ball really well. He's played as a half-forward but has been thrown into the midfield because that's where we see his best position will be. He's a really good kick into the forward line but just needs to accumulate a bit more of the ball around the ground." 

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Comments from Greater Western Sydney academy coach Jason Saddington

Jarrod Brander
11/2/99
194cm/89kg
Bendigo Pioneers
Key forward/defender

"I've always seen him as a better forward than defender, but he has really shown he has some capabilities when he has moved back as well. The way he marks the footy and the penetration in his kicking leg suggests to me he's going to develop more as a forward. He has good hands and leads strongly at the footy, and he does finish his work as well. His athletic ability allows him to cover the ground." 

Brendan Myers
10/2/99
183cm/80kg
Wagga Tigers
Midfielder

"An inside midfielder who is just great at winning clean ball around the contest. He's a very good clearance player but he also has the ability to mark the ball extremely strongly overhead, and therefore becomes a dangerous forward. He played some NEAFL footy last year as a 17-year-old as well as spending some time back at Wagga Tigers. He's a real footy nut and always has a ball in his hand."

Jack Powell
15/7/99
180cm/75kg
Ainslie/Canberra Demons
Midfielder

"Jack's a very clever footballer who is extremely good in traffic. He has nice, neat skills with his hands and feet, and he just knows where to find the space even when there's not a lot of it. He's still developing his aerobic capabilities as a midfielder but he can also play that role as a small forward as well."

Nathan Richards
11/2/99
200cm/102kg
Griffith Swans
Ruckman

"Nathan's a developing ruckman who is very competitive. He's not your ruckman who is over 200cm in size, but his competitiveness brings him into the contest. He jumps in and knows how to use his body. He comes from a bit of a basketball background so his hands and his awareness in and around traffic are pretty good. He's a boy from Griffith who has relocated to Sydney this year as part of the academy."

Nicholas Shipley
25/6/99
190cm/90kg
St George
Utility

"Nick's a western Sydney boy who transferred over to Australian football from soccer when he was 15. He's athletic and a utility type of player who can be used in a number of spots – half-back, half-forward and in the midfield. He has great endurance and speed, and has really developed a nice bit of his game around his kicking."

Charles Spargo
25/11/99
173cm/73kg
Murray Bushrangers
Midfielder

"Charlie's a clever, small player. Being a midfielder is obviously his first go, but he's also a smart forward and quite strong for his size and I've seen him outbody key position players at times and take marks up forward. He's very nimble and quick, and reads the game really well with a strong footy IQ, which he's demonstrated the past couple of years. He's probably one of the smarter smalls in this year's pool."

 *Charles Spargo and Jarrod Brander are ineligible to join the Giants through the academy after recent changes to the club's zone by the AFL

Charles Spargo is one of the smartest players in the draft pool. Picture: AFL Photos

NORTHERN TERRITORY
Comments from NT talent manager Wally Gallio

Rohan Armstrong
18/5/98
175cm/65kg
South Alice
Midfielder/forward

"We're really happy with the way Rohan has continued to grow with us. Even though he's an over-ager and will play as someone who turns 19 this year, he's been in the program with us for 12 months now and hopefully he can show his leadership. He can add to our midfield and forward line, and give us that defensive pressure." 

Rodney Baird
1/3/99
192cm/72kg
Palmerston
Medium forward/defender


"Rodney was in the Boomerangs program three years ago and won the leadership award. Then he decided to concentrate on rugby league and had a scholarship with Parramatta. This year he's decided to come back to the AFL and he has enjoyed the game a bit more. He'll play across half-back and half-forward, and he's really athletic."

Dominic Grant
29/1/99
189cm/77kg
Wanderers
Midfieder/forward

"He played in the SANFL last year and lived in Adelaide, but since he's moved back here to Darwin he's trained a lot better and understands the rigours of what he needs to do. He'll play in the midfield and in the forward line, and playing in the NTFL this year his clearance work has been really good."

SYDNEY
Comments from Sydney academy coach Jared Crouch

James Bell
10/2/99
183cm/75kg
UNSW
Midfielder

"James is a good runner on the outside and is a good ball user as well. He gained good experience playing as an underager in our under-18s side last year. He's certainly a player who can get on the outside and give some run."

Michael Carroll
18/6/99
191cm/85kg
Pennant Hills
Defender

"A key position player who can play at either end of the ground, but he's probably predominantly been used down back. He's a very good one-on-one player who takes a good mark."

Jack Hardman
31/12/99
173cm/67kg
UNSW
Forward

"Jack played for us last year as an under-17 and is a really tough, small forward with lightning pace and he certainly knows how to kick a goal. We generally try to play him forward but we will show his versatility at times as with other players so they're not pigeonholed in one position."

Brandon Norton
14/9/99
182cm/79kg
UNSW
Midfielder

"He's someone who can play in the midfield or across half-back, and he uses the ball well. Brandon has a great work rate and even across half-back knows how to find the football."

Luke Skrivanic
8/4/99
182cm/74kg
Pennant Hills
Forward

"He's a smart forward. He played a few games in the reserves last year and we were impressed with his competitiveness. He won a lot of one-on-one battles against bigger bodied opponents. He can pop up and kick a few goals. He hasn't had a full pre-season with some calf issues unfortunately but he'll do some damage during the carnival."

TASMANIA
Comments from Tasmania talent manager Mat Armstrong

Toby Cowen
1/7/99
180cm/72kg
Kingborough
Midfielder

"He's an inside midfielder with exceptionally good endurance. Toby has good hands, so is able to get the ball out pretty well, and he plays with great work ethic so can find a bit of the ball."

Jake Hinds
7/5/99
186cm/78kg
Launceston
Defender/midfielder

"Jake is a running half-back for us who has beautiful skills and delivers the ball really well by foot. He reads the game really well and can also play through the midfield. Because of his versatility he can play outside or inside roles, and he's very good at stoppages and clearances. He has a penetrating left-foot kick so we'll probably use him across half-back."

Nick Hutchinson
21/5/99
187cm/80kg
Hobart City
Medium defender

"Nick's a running defender who can also play in the midfield. He goes very well and has excelled ahead of the carnival. He's a left-footer who uses the ball pretty well, and he reads the game exceptionally well. He's a good athlete who can cover the ground for long periods of time, having run a level 15.6 beep test. He wins his own footy and has courage going back with the flight of the ball."