Vic Metro has announced its 28-player squad for the U18s National Championships boys carnival.

The squad is headlined by AFL Academy members Cooper Duff-Tytler, Ollie Greeves, Tom Burton, Archie Ludowyke and Louis Emmett.

There are also seven club-tied players: Carlton NGA pair Tyson Gresham and Jack Ison, Collingwood NGA pair Zac McCarthy and Jai Saxena and Pies father-son prospect Tom McGuane, Essendon NGA pair Adam Sweid and Hussien El Achkar and St Kilda-tied halfback Kye Fincher.

Another familiar name is Hunter Holmes โ€“ the brother of Geelong star, Max.

Six players have been elevated from outside the summer hub to the squad after excellent starts to 2025, headlined by Sandringham midfielder Rory Wright, who has bolted into first-round calculations.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - June 30: Louis Emmett of Victoria Metro and Charlie West of South Australiaduring the 2024 Marsh AFL Championships U18 Boys match between South Australia and Victoria Metro at Alberton Oval on June 30, 2024 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - June 30: Louis Emmett of Victoria Metro and Charlie West of South Australiaduring the 2024 Marsh AFL Championships U18 Boys match between South Australia and Victoria Metro at Alberton Oval on June 30, 2024 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Little-known Western Jets defender Jacob Marron and skilled Oakleigh tall Max Kondogiannis have been rewarded for taking their games to the next level in 2025 at Coates League level and for Wesley College and Carey Grammar respectively in the APS competition.

Fellow key back Jackson Barber, Calder's co-captain, was also added to the squad.

The trio add to a strong complement of talls for coach Lauren Morecroft to showcase, with ruck-forward trio Duff-Tytler, Louis Emmett and Zac McCarthy all selected, alongside key forward Ludowyke and Eastern Ranges 191cm pair Andrew Barker and Xavier Taylor.

Among the bevy of players vying for midfield minutes will be Greeves, Sandringham's Xavier Bamert, Western's McGuane, Calder's Felix Kneipp, Oakleigh's Ison, Chargers running machine Sam Allen and squad additions Wright, Holmes and Sweid.

Demonstrating versatility will therefore be an important step for those players to take throughout the carnival.

โ€œI'm really excited to take the state's talent and see how we go,โ€ Vic Metro coach Morecroft told Zero Hanger's Craft of the Draft last month.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 28: Adam Sweid of Vic Metro kicks during the Victorian Diversity All-Stars U18 Boys match between Vic Country and Vic Metro at Warrawee Park on June 28, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 28: Adam Sweid of Vic Metro kicks during the Victorian Diversity All-Stars U18 Boys match between Vic Country and Vic Metro at Warrawee Park on June 28, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

โ€œI'm excited to showcase the best players and hopefully it's a good result, but my main philosophy is to develop players further.

โ€œVic Metro has had success in the past but I'm not huge on the win-loss; I'm more focussed on getting the players AFL-ready and bringing excellence to their game.โ€

Smooth-moving Sandy Dragon Jack Dalton and Ison have both made the squad despite not yet playing any footy in 2025 due to injury.

Burton, Aaron Sharkie and Fincher are the recognised half-backs in the squad, while Lachy Dovaston, Gresham and El Achkar lead the small forward brigade.

Arki Butler is the sole bottom-ager in the squad, having kicked five goals in an eye-catching first three games for Sandringham, while Northern Knights key-position trio Lewis Houndsome, Tate Hodgson and Harry Van Hattum are part of the train-on squad.

Knights midfielder Mitch Moate, Eastern winger Bailey Lloyd and Western defender Finn Davis have also been given the opportunity to train with the squad, having had their start to 2025 stymied with injury.

The silky-skilled Blake Chambers and combative ruck Miles Tyrer round out the train-on squad.

The most represented region is the Oakleigh Chargers with nine players, with all programs represented.

Full Vic Metro squad

Tyson Gresham โ€“ Northern Knights

Hussien El Achkar โ€“ Calder Cannons

Adam Sweid โ€“ Calder Cannons

Lachy Dovaston โ€“ Calder Cannons

Jack Dalton โ€“ Sandringham Dragons

Tom McGuane โ€“ Western Jets

Felix Kneipp โ€“ Calder Cannons

Tom Burton โ€“ Western Jets

Jai Saxena โ€“ Oakleigh Chargers

Arki Butler โ€“ Sandringham Dragons

Sam Allen โ€“ Oakleigh Chargers

Sam Grlj โ€“ Oakleigh Chargers

Aaron Sharkie โ€“ Oakleigh Chargers

Rory Wright โ€“ Sandringham Dragons

Kye Fincher โ€“ Sandringham Dragons

Xavier Bamert โ€“ Sandringham Dragons

Hunter Holmes โ€“ Oakleigh Chargers

Jack Ison โ€“ Oakleigh Chargers

Max Kondogiannis โ€“ Oakleigh Chargers

Xavier Taylor โ€“ Eastern Ranges

Andrew Barker โ€“ Eastern Ranges

Ollie Greeves โ€“ Eastern Ranges

Jackson Barber โ€“ Calder Cannons

Jacob Marron โ€“ Western Jets

Archie Ludowyke โ€“ Sandringham Dragons

Zac McCarthy โ€“ Oakleigh Chargers

Cooper Duff-Tytler โ€“ Calder Cannons

Louis Emmett โ€“ Oakleigh Chargers

Training squad

Bailey Lloyd โ€“ Eastern Ranges

Mitch Moate โ€“ Northern Knights

Blake Chambers โ€“ Eastern Ranges

Finn Davis โ€“ Western Jets

Tate Hodgson โ€“ Northern Knights

Harry Van Hattum โ€“ Northern Knights

Lewis Houndsome โ€“ Northern Knights

Miles Tyrer โ€“ Sandringham Dragons

By the numbers

Seven elevations from outside the Vic Metro summer hub

Eight club-linked players

Five AFL Academy members

Club-by-club

Oakleigh Chargers: Nine players

Sandringham Dragons: six players

Calder Cannons: five players

Eastern Ranges: four players

Western Jets: Three players

Northern Knights: One player