THIS year's top draft talents will come together to take on Casey Demons' VFL side in April in what will be a key contest for recruiters in assessing the 2019 crop.
The under-18 NAB AFL Academy squad of 25 prospects eligible for this year's draft will face Melbourne's VFL affiliate at the MCG on Saturday, April 20.
The game will be a curtain-raiser to the Melbourne and St Kilda contest that afternoon, and in recent years has seen top-10 picks dominate, including last year when the Gold Coast's No.6 pick Ben King was named best afield for the Academy.
AFL recruiters will be on a committee that selects the squad, which is likely to include highly rated Vic Metro trio Dylan Williams, Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson, Vic Country pair Caleb Serong and Hayden Young, and South Australian duo Dylan Stephens and Cameron Taheny.
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The best of the under-17s group will also come together to represent Australia in a clash against the New Zealand Hawks at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, April 27.
The majority of that squad will be formed from last year's under-16 All Australian side.
The AFL has also released its fixture for the mid-year under-18 championships, with the League to again run a five-round competition for the five teams, meaning each will play four games and have one bye.
The Allies squad for the under-18 carnival will be selected from the five games the Academy teams will play in the Victorian under-18 state competition (formerly the TAC Cup).
Sydney, Greater Western Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Tasmania and the Northern Territory will all feature in the system this year, playing five games – including three each against Victorian under-18 clubs.
Then selectors will pick the Allies line-up to participate in the division one under-18 carnival against Vic Metro, Vic Country, South Australia and Western Australia.
The first game of the carnival will be between Vic Metro and Vic Country at the MCG, with the round three under-18 game brought forward to June 1 be a curtain-raiser to the Collingwood and Fremantle clash later that day.
The national under-17s program has also been announced, with the League continuing to showcase the following year's draft given the increase in the trading of future draft selections by clubs.
NAB AFL Academy fixture
Saturday, April 20 – Australia U18 v Casey Demons, MCG, 1.20pm
Saturday, April 27 – Australia U17 v New Zealand Hawks, Marvel Stadium, 1.20pm
NAB AFL Under-18 Championships fixture
Round 1
Saturday, June 8 – WA v Vic Metro, WAFL venue, 10am
Sunday, June 9 – Allies v Vic Country, Launceston, 1.30pm
(Bye – South Australia)
Round 2
Saturday, June 15 – WA v SA, Optus Stadium, 11am
Saturday, June 1 – Vic Metro v Vic Country, MCG, 11.20am
(Bye – Allies)
Round 3
Saturday, June 22 – Allies v WA, Alberton Oval, 10.45am
Saturday, June 22 – SA v Vic Metro, Alberton Oval, 1.10pm
(Bye – Vic Country)
Round 4
Friday, June 28 – Vic Metro v Allies, GMHBA Stadium, 2.10pm
Friday, June 28 – Vic Country v SA, GMHBA Stadium, 4.40pm
(Bye – WA)
Round 5
Wednesday, July 3 – Vic Country v WA, Marvel Stadium, 2.10pm
Wednesday, July 3 – SA v Allies, Marvel Stadium, 4.40pm
(Bye – Vic Metro)
