Just two games remain for this year's U18s National Championships, with Western Australia joining South Australia in playing their fourth and final game of the carnival.
WA ended on a losing note, falling to Vic Metro on Sunday, while the other game saw a handful of club-tied talents shine as Vic Country defeated the Allies.
In South Australia, a familiar name has found dominant form after returning from injury, while a 2026 talent added to his stellar run in front of the goals.
Here's all the latest draft news, analysis and standouts...
Carlton and Geelong-tied names lead Vic Country to opening champs win
2026 Carlton father-son prospect Cody Walker put in his best outing of this year's U18s National Championships on Sunday to remind onlookers of his standing for next year's draft.
Ironically, Walker's standout game came at Ikon Park as Vic Country defeated the Allies by two goals, with the bottom-ager a key contributor through the middle and forward thirds of the field.
The son of former Carlton utility Andrew Walker, Cody ended the game with 24 disposals, seven marks, six score involvements and 377 metres gained to be among his side's best.
Other top performers for Vic Country included Geelong Next Generation Academy prospect Jesse Mellor, who booted an equal game-high three goals from 15 disposals, five marks, four tackles and 11 score involvements.
Murray Bushrangers midfielder Riley Onley had his most impressive game of 2025, amassing 28 disposals, seven clearances, six inside 50s, six marks and 13 score involvements.
Top-rated utility Willem Duursma was also strong for Vic Country, emerging as the favourite for his side's MVP honours.
Swans Academy defender catches the eye
Sydney-tied backman Lachie Carmichael was arguably best afield in the Allies' loss to Vic Country over the weekend, even earning a role through the midfield as he continues to have an impact.
Carmichael ended the day with 32 disposals, 10 contested possessions, six intercept possessions, seven marks, six tackles and eight score involvements.
He would also get forward and kick a goal from a strong set-shot attempt in the final term when the game was in the balance.
It was a performance that followed a match-winning game for fellow Swans Academy player Max King, with the pair joined by Noah Chamberlain as exciting Sydney-linked prospects in this year's draft.
AFL Academy member makes SANFL debut
North Adelaide's Sam Cumming made his senior SANFL debut for the Roosters on Saturday in what was always shaping as a tough game against an unbeaten Sturt side.
Off the back of an U18s National Championships title, Cumming returned to SA to suit up for the Roosters' top side for the first time, with the midfield-forward hybrid having a strong debut despite the lopsided affair.
The teenager finished the game with 16 disposals, six marks, four clearances and three tackles in the 115-point defeat to the Double Blues.
North Adelaide could look to retain Cumming in their senior side with the National Championships concluded for the Croweaters. The Roosters sit outside the top five by two wins.
Cumming's SA teammate Jack Cook also debuted for Woodville-West Torrens in Round 12, finding similar success (24 disposals and 11 rebound 50s) despite a 100-point loss to Adelaide.
Metro get first win of U18s champs
After opening their carnival with a loss to South Australia last month, Vic Metro returned to the U18s National Championships stage on Sunday to face Western Australia in Perth.
The travelling side started strong under the difficult conditions, booting the first three goals and keeping WA to just two majors to the main break.
Small forwards Lachy Dovaston and Hussien El Achkar were key contributors in the front half, either adding to the goals tally or playing a role in setting up scores.
El Achkar, a member of Essendon's NGA, ended the match with a game-high 11 score involvements fresh off his six-goal game for the Calder Cannons the week prior.
Dovaston had 18 disposals, 10 of which were contested, to be a constant headache for the opposition.
His Eastern Ranges teammate Ollie Greeves was a force through midfield, finding the ball 27 times and recording 10 contested possessions, six marks and five intercept possessions.
His WA counterpart Fred Rodriguez was among the best for the losing side, amassing 23 disposals, seven clearances, four inside 50s and six tackles to finish off his champs on the right foot.
Claremont's Cody Curtin finished the game with three goals, a tally only matched by Collingwood NGA talent Zac McCarthy at the other end.
2026 SA forward kicks seven
Glenelg bottom-ager Gabriel Patterson booted seven goals over the weekend in the SANFL U18s to now sit second on the competition goal-kicking leaderboard.
The 2026 AFL Draft prospect had a season-best outing against West Adelaide to continue his streak of kicking at least one goal per game this year from nine appearances.
Patterson had 13 disposals, eight marks and three tackles to go with his seven goals, with the 17-year-old now sitting on 25 goals for the season, 13 behind Sturt's Ivan Wilkinson, who has kicked 38 goals in 12 games.
Wilkinson kicked four goals against North Adelaide in Round 13, his sixth straight game of three or more goals for the Double Blues. Like Patterson, Wilkinson has kicked at least one goal in every game this year as a bottom-ager.
Phillipou returns to Eagles in style
Two games back from a wrist injury that saw him sidelined for multiple months, Woodville-West Torrens U18s talent Jevan Phillipou has quickly returned to his dominant best.
The son of former Western Bulldogs player Sam Phillipou and the brother of St Kilda's Mattaes, Jevan returned to the field last weekend against Sturt, looking comfortable once more to record 28 disposals, six marks, five tackles, seven clearances and a goal in defeat.
He would have another starring role in Round 13, booting two goals from 31 disposals, to go with six tackles, six clearances and eight inside 50s.
His recent injury ruled him out of South Australia's undefeated U18s carnival, but his form at the SANFL level has upheld his prospects as a valued talent for this year's AFL Draft.
