There were two U18s National Championships on the weekend, with a high-quality shootout between Western Australia and Vic Country followed by a South Australia bloodbath of Vic Metro.
That came after Sandringham and Oakleigh kicked the weekend off with their annual King's Birthday weekend clash in a round of footy that produced several talking points.
Hudson the hero in WA opener
The schoolboy dream was realised for WA forward Hudson Walker.
With the last kick of the game, Walker gave WA the lead with a perfectly executed set shot from 40 metres out on a slight angle.
It followed a strong game where his pressure and dynamism led the way for WA in the front half, finishing with 16 disposals and seven tackles.
The Subiaco youngster has played two league games and three Colts games so far in 2025, averaging a goal per game, providing some excitement without dominating.
Saturday was his time in the sun.
The moment was capped off by Walker's cousin, Ben Henry, widely known by his online name 'Benry in the Booth', calling the moment on broadcast.
Clutch Dandenong skipper steps up
Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves has made a habit of it.
Late in the game with pressure at fever pitch, the first-round prospect knows how to finish in front of the big sticks when many falter.
In Vic Country's first game of the U18s National Championships on Saturday, he kicked two in a minute, including one from the pocket, to give his side the lead and a sniff of an upset.
It comes a week after he kicked the sealer for Dandenong Stingrays in its comeback win over Tasmania.
In 2024, he kicked 11.2 in last quarters at the Coates League level, highlighting his composure and ability to finish under pressure and fatigue.
Hibbins-Hargreaves kicked four goals across the game for Vic Country, showcasing his strong marking, opportunism at forward half stoppages, hard running and finishing polish.
After missing four early-season games with a shoulder injury, he appears primed for a big carnival.
Carlton father-son prospect excites
It feels like every week this season, at least one of Carlton's four tied prospects are putting their name in lights.
This week it was intercept defender Harry Dean, the son of the legendary Peter Dean.
Dean was clearly Vic Country's best defender in its first game of the U18s National Championships, taking five intercept marks and three contested marks among his 10 overall.
It forced WA to be purposeful with their entries, while the first-round prospect was also a reliable distributor by foot.
Meanwhile, Carlton Next Generation Academy forward Jack Ison directly assisted three of Vic Metro's five goals in a difficult first-up game for them.
Midfielders lead way for Vic Country
Willem Duursma, Cal Smith and Riley Onley all proved important assets for Vic Country at the coal face.
Duursma got busy in the third quarter in particular, with his run and carry and flashy skillset on show, but he worked hard all game and was a factor in the clinches, to finish with 26 disposals, four tackles and four clearances.
Smith, despite having just the 14 disposals, was also among Vic Country's best, with his strength and power helping him win four clearances and kick an important third quarter goal.
Onley, meanwhile, had some moments of real impact in his 22 disposals.
Top WA prospects shine
Fred Rodriguez, Cody Curtin, Charlie Banfield and Toby Whan were all among the best for WA's first game of the U18s National Championships.
Rodriguez had 17 disposals, with his movement at stoppage and pace making him a dangerous midfield asset, highlighted by two running goals from 50.
The WA skipper also finished with six tackles and a team-high four clearances, carrying his recent strong form in the WA trial matches into the carnival.
Curtin kicked three goals from nine disposals, and after being well neutralised by Harry Moon early, was clearly the most potent aerial threat for WA inside 50 after quarter time, taking six marks.
He also rotated through the ruck, winning seven hitouts and two clearances.
Banfield's marking was influential in helping WA maintain territory and giving them aerial presence in the last quarter.
The West Coast-linked player set up Hudson Walker's match-winning set shot after taking a brave intercept mark to lock the ball inside 50.
Whan, meanwhile, showed his composure and power with the footy, the lefty amassing a team-high 18 disposals and four clearances.
Farrow rise continues
Western Australian half-back/midfielder Jacob Farrow has caught the eye of scouts in recent weeks and translated his WAFL Colts form into the U18s National Championships.
After a strong trial game, his explosiveness, intent both ways and energy helped WA get proceedings going their way at some critical junctures.
While his 12 disposals, one goal and six tackles don't jump off the page, he laid a solid platform and showed why there are hopes that he could build into a dangerous half-back/midfielder as the year progresses.
Schubert rise continues
Aidan Schubert's rise up draft boards continued on Sunday, capitalising on South Australia's dominance by kicking 3.1 following four goals last week.
He took five contested marks to take his carnival tally to eight, outreaching the Vic Metro defenders at will and leaving them helpless as he put himself perfectly in the drop zone.
His skills for a player of his size are also adept and at 198cm, looks to have the tools and physical attributes to develop into a prototype key forward.
His sterling start to the U18s National Championships which has ensconced him in first round conversations follows 16 goals in seven games for Central Districts at SANFL U18s level.
SA run rings around Vic Metro
After a competitive first quarter, it was a South Australian domination at Alberton Oval on Sunday.
South Australian skipper Dyson Sharp had his best performance of the year, leading the midfield with authority.
He was typically clinical around the contest and impacted well in open play, working hard both ways to expose Vic Metro, with two goals as a reward for a brilliant afternoon.
Recruiters are split about exactly where in the pecking order Sharp sits โ some have him pushing the top five, with today's performance compelling evidence as to why, while others view him as a mid-first-round prospect.
As well as his midfield impact, Sharp also spent time forward in the second half.
As well as Sharp, Jack Cook was very good in the midfield with four clearances, Louis Kellaway was clean and composed, and Sam Cumming came into it as the match went on, while also spending time forward and kicking two goals.
Jim Kelly launched plenty of offensive chains, Matt Leray and Harley Barker's kicking was at its chiselling best and despite just kicking the one goal, Mitch Marsh continued his impressive season, with four shots.
Noah Daw was the best Croweaters defender on the day, finishing with 11 intercept possessions.
Metro set for soul-searching
Vic Metro suffered its worst defeat in a long time on Sunday, going down to South Australia by 61 points in a dispiriting performance.
Metro came in favoured to win, but kicked just two goals after quarter time, plagued by a lack of match fitness and selfishness against an SA team hardened by a high-quality match last week.
Midfielder Ollie Greeves and ruck Cooper Duff-Tytler were among the few standouts, while Essendon Next Generation Academy prospect Hussien El Achkar looked dangerous at times but kicked four behinds.
Jack Dalton returns in style
In his first game of 2025 following a pre-season arm injury, Sandringham's Jack Dalton was the clear best afield on Friday night against Oakleigh Chargers.
In the only Coates League game of the weekend, Dalton played in the midfield and finished with 35 disposals and four tackles, showing off his clean skills and poise on a scrappy night where just 11 goals were scored across both teams.
Given the three-week break between Vic Metro's first and second games, Dalton will have four games across Sandringham and Xavier College under his belt before he puts his hand up for Vic Metro selection.
Highly regarded after winning the U16s Vic Metro MVP and some standout games in the second half of last season, he would almost certainly have been a starter for the first game of Vic Metro's carnival if not for injury.
2026 prospects show promise
Wil Malady and Heath Mellody were both influential for their teams in WA's last-gasp victory over Vic Country on Saturday.
WA's Mellody showed great vision and poise, setting up plenty of play in transition off the wing.
Malady kicked two early goals and was a handful for the WA defence in the first quarter, with his contested marking helping Vic Country set up a quarter-time lead.
While he couldn't add to his tally after the first break and finished with just six disposals, he wasn't outmarked all game and looked his side's most likely target in forward 50 for much of the game, with his speed also helping him take some hit-up marks.
Malady's Caulfield Grammar roommate Marlon Neocleous was promoted to the team with fellow small forwards Tom Matthews and Harley Hicks missing through injury and illness respectively.
Neocleous kicked a second quarter goal and looked dynamic throughout the game while also linking up well.
Meanwhile, on Friday night, Vic Metro 2024 U16s representative Jack Poustie had a breakout game, gathering 24 disposals and showing class on a scrappy night.
Northern Academy players relish VFL opportunity
Brisbane Academy products Dan Annable and Isaac Waller both got state league opportunities on Saturday, with a host of Gold Coast-tied prospects turning out for the Suns on Sunday as the Allies had a bye.
Annable finished with an equal team-high five clearances from 18 disposals, while Waller was quieter with just four disposals at 100 per cent efficiency.
Koby Coulson was the best of the Suns' youngsters, with the difficult conditions at GMHBA Stadium suiting his hardness, as he combined 18 disposals and seven tackles.
Beau Addinsall distributed well, finishing with 16 disposals, while Cooper Collins had 15.
Jonah Harris' only possession was a goal but he competed strongly in the ruck, while Dylan Patterson had a rare quiet game with just five touches.
