A pair of Carlton father-son prospects were among the leading names from the opening day of the U16s Development Championships as AFL scouts and recruiters got their best look at the top line of prospects for the 2028 draft.
Vic Metro's Lukas Koutoufides (son of Anthony) and Will Thornton (son of Bret) were prolific on either side of the main break, with Koutoufides collecting 16 touches to half-time before Thornton recorded 18 of his own in the second half.
The Blues-tied teenagers battled against a formidable Vic Country outfit at Dingley on Monday, with analyst Jonty Ralphsmith crediting their effort on this week's episode of Craft of the Draft.
"He went through the midfield early and then spent some time forward. His competitiveness really stood out," Ralphsmith said of Koutoufides.
"189cms. He'll continue to grow and be a really promising target for Carlton fans to get excited about. Through the midfield, you can tell he's got that footy IQ and air of class about him.
"He was often under pressure, but his size and ability to keep his hands free to try and make things happen were the features of his game."
Thornton's switch to half-back ahead of the third term saw the son of Carlton's 11-year servant flourish as a "game breaker", rebounding out of defence with his precise ball use and speed.
"Wil Thornton, the son of Bret Thornton, was in action. Only had the three disposals up until half-time playing in an unfamiliar wing role. Finished with a game-high 21 disposals," Ralphsmith said.
"Went to half-back in the second half and was a real game breaker with his speed and particularly with his ball use. He opened the game up and was a big reason that Vic Metro were able to fight the game out.
"What was really impressive was his body language and willingness to play four quarters and try to trim the margin as much as possible once the game was effectively over."
Also covered in this week's episode of Craft of the Draft, the team previewed the U18s National Championships, predicting this year's title winners and MVPs, and took a look at how the 2025 AFL Draft is tracking.
