The 2007 NAB AFL under-18 championships are being played from 23 June to 11 July. Over the championships, afl.com.au will highlight the 10 players who stand out after each block of matches. The assessments are made purely on their performance in the carnival – regardless of their drafting prospects and eligibility in 2007. The blocks will be assessed after matches are played in Sydney, Perth/Adelaide, Geelong and Carlton.

On Saturday, two matches were played in Sydney. In Game One, Tasmania fought back to defeat Queensland by 25 points at the SCG, while NSW/ACT comfortably took the honours over Northern Territory by 46 points in their match at Telstra Stadium. Here are afl.com.au's top 10 players from those two games…

1 – Loccy McGregor – NSW/ACT – 174cm, 72kg
One of the smaller players at this year's championships, McGregor played a blinder against the Thunder, booting four goals and claiming 30 touches. Busy and tenacious, McGregor also had 11 inside 50s, a great result for the little fella.

2 – Aaron Joseph – Tasmania – 178cm, 75kg
Very impressive, Joseph was the leading ball-winner in the match against Queensland, winning 34 disposals – including 22 kicks. His work-ethic was super, emphasised by his centre clearance work, while he pumped the ball inside 50 on 10 occasions.

3 – Craig Bird – NSW/ACT – 178cm, 75kg
The NSW/ACT captain and 2006 under-18 All-Australian was outstanding with a match-high 32 disposals against the Northern Territory. He has already been listed as a Sydney scholarship holder and looms as one to watch for the remainder of the carnival.

4 – Jay Bowden – Tasmania – 184cm, 74kg
A midfielder/half-forward, Bowden shone with five goals against Queensland, enhancing his status as one of Tasmania's best prospects. He also finished with 21 disposals and six inside 50s. He will be one to monitor closely for the rest of the championships.

5 – Tom Bellchambers – Tasmania – 199cm, 91kg
Standing at 199cm, Bellchambers was a telling figure against Queensland, clearly having the better of Scorpions' ruck duo David Hill and Jake Spencer. He won a whopping 33 disposals and was excellent in the centre hit outs. It was a most impressive display.

6 – Aaron Cornelius – Tasmania – 191cm, 80kg
Too young to be drafted this year, but certainly one to watch out for in 2008, Cornelius starred against Queensland with five goals and showed plenty of spark in his game. He also grabbed seven marks – including a sensational pack mark in front of goal.

7 – Darin Stewart – Queensland – 191cm, 87kg
Stewart's performance against Tasmania could not be questioned after bagging five goals, which included an excellent goal tucked on a difficult angle in the pocket. His unusual kicking style certainly stands out and has raised some the eyebrows of recruiters.

8 – Trevor Oliver – Northern Territory – 181cm, 88kg
One of a handful of "overage" 19 year olds Territorians, Oliver was one of his side's standouts, despite NSW/ACT's comfortable 46-point win. He was the Thunder's leading possession winner with 24 touches off half-back, while he rebounded eight times.

9 – Patrick Fittock – Northern Territory – 185cm, 71kg
A mid-sized player, Fittock plucked some nice marks against NSW/ACT, taking 11 marks, on top of his 21 touches. Like Oliver, Fittock is a 19-year-old. He also laid five tackles.

10 – Taylor Walker – NSW/ACT – 188cm, 81kg
One of several Rams' players to already be tied to an AFL club via the scholarship program – he is with Adelaide – Walker booted five goals in an impressive display against the Northern Territory.

For more information about the 2007 NAB AFL Under 18 championships visit our special NAB AFL Under 18 Championship section on afl.com.au.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.