Gold Coast Academy talent Zeke Uwland will return to the VFL this weekend for the Suns' state league level QClash, which will be the potential Pick 1 selection's first game of 2025.
Uwland has been dealing with a back injury that saw him miss the Suns Academy's Coates Talent League campaign and the Allies' U18s National Championships carnival.
The 2024 U18s All-Australian entered the year highly touted, having enjoyed a stellar bottom-age season that has kept him in the mix toward the top of this year's draft class.
Last year, Uwland played five VFL games for the Suns, including a performance against Brisbane's reserves that saw him amass 16 disposals, six marks and a goal against Gold Coast's Queensland counterpart.
The exciting flanker won't be the only Suns-tied 2025 prospect to feature at Carrara on Saturday morning, with fellow Academy prospects Koby Coulson, Cooper Collins and Jonah Harris also named to play.
Their Allies teammates Tyan Prindable and Dan Annable have also been named for Brisbane in a contest that includes 29 AFL-listed players.
Saturday night's affair between Collingwood and Frankston will see Magpies father-son Tom McGuane, son of premiership player Mick, don the black and white stripes for the first time.
McGuane, an exciting inside-outside midfielder, is placed as a late first-round or second-round prospect for this year's draft after a strong year to date with the Western Jets.
The Pies-tied teenager is set to feature alongside Jordan De Goey, Bobby Hill and Billy Frampton among the inclusions for Collingwood's VFL side this week.
On Sunday, Geelong will get their first look at Next Generation Academy talent Jesse Mellor in the VFL when the lively half-forward suits up for his first game in the hoops.
Mellor enjoyed a strong 2025 U18s National Championships with Vic Country, booting eight goals from his four games to be named in the U18s All-Australian team.
That spell came after a strong start to the year with the Geelong Falcons and Vic Country's trial squad, with Mellor booting six goals in a game against the Young Guns when featuring for the latter.
Mellor has been named as the 23rd player for Geelong's reserves side to take on North Melbourne at Arden Street, with the Cats also naming AFL-listed quartet Mitch Knevitt, George Stevens, Ollie Wiltshire and Joe Pike as inclusions for the game.
The Cats and Kangaroos will go head-to-head at 12:05pm (AEST), with both sides looking to close in on the top 10.
