MANY of Victoria’s top AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft prospects will feature against the state’s best under-18 boys footballers as part of the 2023 Young Guns Series.

The two-game series will pit the Young Guns against Victoria Metro and Victoria Country under-18 teams.

The Young Guns will play Victoria Metro at Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday, May 7 before taking on Victoria Country on Sunday, May 14 at IKON Park. Both games will commence at 11am.

The Young Guns team has been selected by AFL recruiters, with the team made up of players eligible for selection in the 2023 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft, which will be held on Wednesday, May 31.

All players in the Young Guns squad have been eligible for the AFL Draft prior to this year and were aged 19 or under as of January 1, 2023 with some having since turned 20. The team features prospects who compete in the Coates Talent League Boys as overage players and the VFL.

Among those named in the Young Guns squad are Gippsland Power bolter Ryan Maric and key position trio Will Elliott, Flynn Riley and Clay Tucker, who all stand above 200cm.

Last year’s Young Guns team included several players who were selected in the 2022 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft, including No. 1 pick Jai Culley, Massimo D'Ambrosio and Max Ramsden.

Victoria Metro and Victoria Country will use the Young Guns Series as a trial ahead of selecting their final squads to compete at the 2023 AFL National Championships - U18 Boys.

Players who aren’t named to play for Victoria Metro and Victoria Country in the Young Guns Series remain eligible for selection in the final squads to compete at the Championships.

The Victoria Metro squad that will take on the Young Guns this weekend includes 2023 AFL Academy Boys members Will Green, Nathan Philactides and Archie Roberts.

Calder Cannons assistant coach Matt O’Connor will again coach the Young Guns, with Ali Hamad (Western Jets), Jon Mole (Dandenong Stingrays) and Luke Williams (Calder Cannons) also part of the coaching panel.

Victoria Metro will be coached by Sandringham Dragons boys head coach Rob Harding. Fellow Coates Talent League head coaches Trent Dennis-Lane (Western Jets), Paul Griffiths (Oakleigh Chargers), Lauren Morecroft (Eastern Ranges), Anthony Rocca (Northern Knights) and Andrew Sturgess (Calder Cannons) will serve as assistants.

Continue below to see the squads for this week’s match between the Young Guns and Victoria Metro. Squads for the clash between the Young Guns and Victoria Country will be announced next week.

HOW TO WATCH: Both games in the 2023 Young Guns Series will be available to watch live and free here.

YOUNG GUNS SERIES – GAME 1
Young Guns vs Victoria Metro U18
Sunday, May 7 at 11:00am
Trevor Barker Beach Oval

YOUNG GUNS

VICTORIA METRO