The 2024 National Championships get underway this Sunday, with AFL scouts and recruiters set to get an indication of this year's top bracket of talent.
The carnival sees the best draft stars from across the country looking to flex their value at the highest level in their draft campaign, with the National Championships a stage where the cream rises to the top.
The Allies enter the carnival as the reigning champions after a maiden title win in 2023, with the 'best of the rest' set to be a top contender again this year given their strong list of talent and emerging bottom-age prospects.
Each side has key players in all areas of the field, so we've looked to highlight the players to keep an eye on across this year's carnival, both eligible and bottom-age players.
Here are 56 prospects to watch from each side ahead of the 2024 National Championships...
1. Vic Metro
Metro could be home to a large majority of the top 5-10 selections at this year's draft, with midfield trio Levi Ashcroft, Josh Smillie and Jagga Smith each a strong shout as the leading prospect in this year's class, while Sandringham Dragons defender Luke Trainor is emerging as a potential top five selection also.
Smillie's 2024 campaign so far for the Eastern Ranges has significantly grown his bid as the leading midfielder in an onballer-heavy draft, while Ashcroft rivalled Trainor as the best performer across both games for the AFL Academy.
Smith, while undersized, makes up for his frame with his agility and clean ball work through the middle of the field, with Vic Metro a force to be reckoned with this year in the middle of the field.
Add in Smillie's Ranges teammates in Christian Moraes - another likely top 10 draft chance - and bull Cody Anderson, as well as Northern Knights gun Zak Johnson, Dragon Murphy Reid and Oakleigh's Tom Gross, and it'll be hard to see may sides getting past Metro's prolific midfield pack.
Trainor will be a commanding presence behind the ball, with his aerial dominance and clean ball movement as a 194cm backman sure to be enticing for AFL clubs this year. Calder Cannons defender Harry O'Farrell is another key defender who has the size and leap to shut down some of the leading key forwards in the country.
At the other end of the field, tall forward Thomas Sims is an imposing threat who will look to help lead Metro's offensive structure after a strong start to the year with the Northern Knights.
At his feet, Essendon Next Generation Academy talent Isaac Kako will often be the lively ground-level presence who can create a goal out of nothing, with the Cannons gun likely to step up alongside South Melbourne Districts jet Bailey McKenzie in the absence of the sidelined Taj Hotton, who will miss due to an ACL injury.
The likes of Reid, Gross, Smillie and Johnson will also float through the forward third as coach Rob Harding looks to rotate his stacked midfield group.
Metro's first game of the year comes against the Allies on Sunday, June 9 at IKON Park.
