AFL Draft: 77 prospects to watch at this year’s National Championships

The 2025 AFL U18s Boys National Championships get underway this weekend, with the country's best draft talent set to go head-to-head on the biggest of stages.

Every year, the U18s carnival sees the cream of the crop represent their state or territory, with the 2025 championships looming as quite the contest for the five sides involved.

Vic Metro are coming off their thrilling title of 2024, but with a large majority of their squad moving on to the AFL, a new contender could emerge.

Each side is home to AFL Academy stars, club-tied prospects and teenagers looking to make their name known, with this year's edition of the National Championships set to be a close one.

Here are 77 prospects to keep an eye on at this year's National Championships and in the run-in to the 2025 AFL Draft.

VIEW: CURRENT 2025 AFL DRAFT ORDER

Allies

The 'best of the rest' squad for 2025 could replicate the Allies' fest of 2023 when they went undefeated at the carnival to claim their first National Championships title.

The 2023 squad had seven of the first 14 prospects picked at the National Draft, with the Allies side for this year potentially following suit thanks to the riches of talent in the Northern Academies.

Gold Coast will again headline the club-tied intake this year, having first-round prospects Dylan Patterson and Beau Addinsall, as well as Zeke Uwland, who will miss the championships with a back injury.

Addinsall looks set to play a role in a stacked Allies engine room that also includes top Brisbane Academy ball-winner Dan Annable, fellow Suns Academy member Koby Coulson and Sydney Academy gun Max King.

King isn't the only potential top 20 pick tied to the Swans, with Lachy Carmichael and Noah Chamberlain also set to play roles at opposite ends of the field under coach Mitch Hahn.

The Allies won't be short on tall options across all three lines of the field, with Melbourne father-son and Gold Coast Academy talent Kalani White able to play forward, back and in the ruck.

Northern Territory tall Taj Murray could hold the first-string ruck duties, while Tasmanian Jasper Hay will likely take the leading key defensive post. Fellow Tassie native Jack Miller will be a headache for opposition defenders at this year's National Championships.

Murray Bushrangers duo Ryder Corrigan and Harrison Wilson should support the midfield and defensive groups, respectively.

The Allies' carnival gets underway this Sunday in New South Wales against South Australia before matches with Western Australia, Vic Country and Vic Metro.

South Australia

The Croweaters will bat deep in midfield, headlined by Central District bull Dyson Sharp, who had a significant role in South Australia's carnival last year alongside Sid Draper and Camporeale brothers Ben and Lucas.

With the 2024 trio being drafted last year, a host of this year's South Australian talent will step up in their place alongside Sharp.

Richmond father-son prospect Louis Kellaway is likely to shift between midfield and half-back, with fellow Double Blues stars Noah Roberts-Thomson and Harley Barker also likely to get a run through the middle of the field, with the latter tipped to hold down the wing.

AFL Academy talent Matt LeRay can also play inside and outside in midfield, while North Adelaide's Sam Cumming will get a good run through the engine room.

Central Districts' Josh Reichelt will be a damaging runner off half-back for South Australia, while Jack Cook - the son of former Crows player Tim - isn't eligible for father-son selection but will catch the eye with his in-and-under work in midfield.

Norwood's Jim Kelly is another worth mentioning, with his buzz around stoppages set to excite the South Aussie locals after a strong start to his U18s SANFL campaign.

West Adelaide forward Mitch Marsh has risen into first-round conversations after his bright start with the Bloods, with the 189cm forward looming as SA's biggest threat in attack.

South Australia will, unfortunately, be without Eagles young gun Jevan Phillipou and leading 2026 prospect Doug Cochrane due to arm and hamstring injuries, respectively.

SA will feature in the National Championships opener against the Allies at Blacktown International Sportspark on Sunday.

Vic Country

The regional Victorian side is filled with headline acts and familiar surnames, with perhaps none better than Gippsland utility Willem Duursma.

Likely to be the fourth sibling from his family to be drafted to the top flight, Duursma is able to have a resounding impact across all three lines of the field as a 191cm talent.

His versatility will be crucial to success for Vic Country, which will be able to move magnets across the field to set up their push for the championships title.

AFL Academy gun Josh Lindsay could get a bigger run through midfield, but will also be banked on as a clean kicker of the ball out of defence.

Murray Bushrangers midfielder Riley Onley, who stands at 194cm, adds plenty of size to centre stoppage, with Dandenong duo Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves and Callum Smith also rolling through the middle.

Vic Country are home to a host of club-tied teenagers, with Melbourne NGA wingman Toby Sinnema and Geelong NGA duo Jesse Mellor and Ben Rongdit among the most exciting names.

Mellor could be a leading threat up front at ground level for Rhett McLennan's side, with Dandenong's Tairon Ah-Mu likely to spearhead as the top tall forward option.

Adelaide is tied to Gippsland's Mitch Stevens via father-son eligibility, while Carlton has a pair of familiar names coming through in 2026 midfielder Cody Walker and Murray Bushrangers key defender Harry Dean.

Walker could be one of the most impactful midfielders for Vic Country in his bottom-age run, having enjoyed a stellar start to the year with Bendigo in the Coates Talent League.

Another 2026 prospect who could have a say is Gippsland's Wil Malady, who, at 190cm, has been a proven goalkicker for the Power across the past 18 months.

Bendigo's Hunter Wright, Gippsland pair Jobe Scapin and Zach O'Keefe, and GWV's Harley Hicks add to a solid Vic Country unit for 2025.

Vic Country's U18s Boys campaign will begin on Saturday, June 7, away to Western Australia at Mineral Resources Park.

Vic Metro

Vic Metro will take a squad that looks almost unstoppable into this year's National Championships, having a wealth of key position stars and midfield guns.

Potential Pick 1 selection Cooper Duff-Tytler headlines a long list of likely draft names, with the ruck-forward hybrid joined by Oakleigh's Louis Emmet and Sandringham spearhead Archie Ludowyke as damaging front-half talls.

Standing at 191cm, inside midfield bull Ollie Greeves is a brute force on the ball, and will be assisted by Collingwood father-son Tom McGuane, Essendon NGA talent Adam Sweid, Oakleigh's Sam Grlj and Hunter Holmes, and Sandringham's Rory Wright in the middle.

The attacking third, on top of the aforementioned Duff-Tytler, Ludowyke and Emmett, also boasts Carlton NGA livewire Tyson Gresham, Essendon-tied small forward Hussien El Achkar and Collingwood NGA duo Jai Saxena and Zac McCarthy, with the latter another key position option at 198cm tall.

Eastern's Lachy Dovaston and Sandringham bottom-ager Arki Butler will also be threats when the ball hits the deck, while Sandringham's Jack Dalton will look to return from an arm injury that has hampered his draft campaign.

St Kilda are tied to rebounding half-back Kye Fincher via their NGA program, with AFL Academy jet Tom Burton another who will offer some dash out of defence.

Eastern Ranges interceptor Xavier Taylor will be tasked with halting the opposition's avenues to attack, while  Vic Metro at set to be without Calder midfielder Felix Kneipp due to a back issue.

Vic Metro are interstate for their first three games against South Australia, Western Australia and the Allies before a meeting with Vic Country at RSEA Park on Sunday, July 20.

Western Australia

South Fremantle midfielder Fred Rodriguez will captain Western Australia's National Championships push as one of several talented onballers to don the black and gold.

Fellow Bulldogs young gun Toby Whan, who is tied to Fremantle via their NGA program, will also be a key cog in the engine room. The Dockers are also tied to small forward Basil Hart in 2025.

West Coast's NGA prospects Wes Walley, Tylah Williams and Koby Evans are also key figures in the side, with Walley the leading small forward threat while Evans can set up on the wings.

West Perth's Sam Swadling is another midfielder who has enjoyed a dominant year to date at the WAFL Colts level, with Swan Districts ace Blake Kelly another leader for WA.

In attack, Western Australia are likely to use swingman option Cody Curtin - the younger brother of Adelaide's Dan - alongside Charlie Banfield, a father-son prospect for West Coast, while fellow Claremont talent Benji Van Rooyen will ruck.

South Fremantle's Ryda Luke and East Fremantle's Thomas Phillips will be another to keep an eye on, while West Perth's Koby Lecras - the nephew of premiership Eagle Mark - is a bottom-ager and could get a look as a member of the training squad.

The Black Swans' carnival will commence on June 7 against Vic Country in Perth.