Essendon Next Generation Academy duo Adam Sweid and Hussien El Achkar have garnered plenty of attention early in 2025, having taken their game to new levels to shape as first-round prospects.
The Calder Cannons pair will both turn out for Vic Metro at the National Championships beginning next month.
Sweid has been a dominant force to start 2025, averaging 26 disposals, six tackles and five marks at the Coates Talent League level, while also standing out in a pair of Vic Metro trial games.
While his clearance-winning and offensive punch has been the feature of many of his highlights, just as impressive has been his tenacious defensive application.
โWe'd been told how good he was, but to see it really consistently has been awesome,โ Calder Cannons coach Sam Willatt told Craft of the Draft.
โHe's super strong in the contest and really creative
โHe values his teammates, so he wants to do the best for them and himself.
โHe's strong and powerful so when he gets the chance to tackle, he doesn't really miss.
โAs we go, we'll continue to play him as a midfielder leading into (Vic) Metro and we might look to expose him forward.
โWe think he plays taller than he is but he'll still probably play forward to start his career at the next level, and it's his natural position prior to this
โHe can come out the front of stoppage.
โHis hands are so creative.
โThere's times we think he's toast in the contest, and he finds a way to release the ball and that's so valuable when you look to transition the ball.โ
El Achkar, meanwhile, has kicked 10.8 across his first three games for Calder this season, and he looked to be a similarly potent forward threat for Vic Metro in a pair of trial matches.
โHe's so much fun to watch and coach,โ Willatt said.
โThe fact he's having the possessions he is and scoring shots is so impressive.
โHe's following a Kako model this year so we'll expose him to different things as the year goes on but small forward is where he'll earn his money.
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โWe want him to show off his fall-of-ball and transition work and pressure stuff that AFL clubs need to see for him to play at the next level.โ
Another pair of Dons-linked prospects have also turned out for the Cannons in recent weeks.
Exciting forward Blake Justice, eligible for the 2026 draft, and half-back/winger Koby Bewick, the son of premiership Bomber Darren and eligible for the 2027 draft, have both shown promise.
"He's clearly got x-factor, which is always fun to see,โ Willatt said of Justice.
โHe's super powerful, a great ball-user and has x-factor so he's one we'll keep exposing to the level and he will keep improving.โ
Bewick made his debut in a big win over NT Thunder on May 1, combining 28 disposals with a goal.
He will represent Vic Metro at the U16s National Championships later this year and looks set to get further Coates League exposure thereafter.
โHe did all the things we knew he was capable of on debut: he kicks the ball beautifully, understands where the ball will go and reads it well,โ Willatt said.
โHe moves really well, his transition is really good and his fundamental skills are strong and he knows where the ball is going.
โWhen you combine those together, it's a good package.โ
Willatt also offered an insight into the progress of Pick 1 contender Cooper Duff-Tytler, who will spend the middle part of the season between Vic Metro and school side Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School (PEGS).
โHe's at school footy but still engaged with our program and we can be specific with what we work on,โ Willatt said.
โI think his game will naturally become more refined as he rucks against the best at Metro training.
โWhat he does well won't change โ his transition running, his ball handling, his ability to get around the ground, you'll just see refinements in his ruck and forward craft because I'm sure he'll get the opportunity to play key forward as well (at Vic Metro).
โIf you compare him to some of the big boys, he's undersized in the ruck which is crazy.
โEarly in his career, he'll be a forward who rucks and as we go, we might see him as a ruck.
โAs much as he's undersized, his ability to get around the ground means not many can go with him.
โHe loves to run and jump at the ball with his athleticism so it's about manipulating opposition defenders to give himself good looks one on one against defenders as a forward rather than rolling in as a ruck which he does so well.โ
Meanwhile, midfielder/half-back Felix Kneipp and full-back Jackson Barber are other Cannons in the Vic Metro squad.
Kneipp had an interrupted pre-season but has graduated into Calder's midfield from the half-backline and has shown his crafty ball-winning ability and running power.
โHe runs and carries and takes the game on,โ Willatt said,
โHe's a metres gained player, he can being damaging by foot and by hand and can break lines.
โHe'll peak as the year goes on.โ
Barber, meanwhile, has locked down several highly rated opponents, including Dandenong spearhead Tairon Ah-Mu.
โAt his size, the way he reads the ball in the air and kicks it has shown in the first few weeks,โ Willatt said.
โWe'll keep giving him opportunities to play on the really big boys.
โWe'll keep working on his defensive craft but he's a really good interceptor one v one which is what clubs loved.โ
Co-captain Hamish Bird was among the players considered unlucky to miss the Vic Metro squad, with Calder optimistic he could follow in the footsteps of Hugo Garcia and Pat Said, similar types of players who also missed National Championships selection and are now listed at St Kilda.
โHe's a damaging midfielder who hits the scoreboard consistently and gets the ball from inside to outside nicely,โ Willatt said.
Cooper Herbert and Gus Papal have both garnered mild interest ahead of the Mid-Season Draft, representing AFL Victoria's Young Guns in recent weeks.
Herbert is an excellent athlete capable of impacting centre-forward and is growing his consistency, while the strong intercepting Papal has a strong basketball pedigree, with last year his first fully focused on footy.
โHe has moments where he can rip the game open, it's just about being more consistent across the game,โ Willatt said of Herbert.
โGus is a really strong developer and is a great story.
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โAt his size, he kicks the ball beautifully and is adding an offensive element to his game.
โAerially he's very good. We've thrown him on big forwards and he's improving his one v one stuff and he has the natural ability to come off and support teammates.โ
The Cannons are next in action on Sunday against Geelong at Torquay.
