THE COUNTRY'S leading talent in the next two drafts will converge at the MCG on Sunday in the NAB AFL Academy's 20th anniversary celebration match.
The curtain raiser to the Carlton and Essendon clash will feature national academy prospects eligible for the 2017 and 2018 drafts.
The contest has seen the level two academy group – eligible for this year's draft – split into two sides, with select level one players brought into the game to help fill the squads.
The sides for Sunday's clash have been branded 'Team Jacob Weitering' and 'Team Joe Daniher', who are both graduates of the academy and will play in the AFL game following the academy hit-out. The curtain raiser will start at 12.10pm.
It is the first of two games the level two players will play during their April camp while in Melbourne, with the second game coming against the Northern Blues' VFL side on April 15.
Academy head coach and former Brisbane Lions star Luke Power will coach 'Team Daniher', with Jaidyn Stephenson, Jack Higgins and Patrick Naish among the notable members of his side.
Stephenson is in the mix to to be this year's No.1 pick and has booted eight goals in the first two TAC Cup games, while Higgins gathered 30 disposals for the Oakleigh Chargers last weekend.
Naish, a possible father-son pick for Richmond where his dad Chris played, kicked two goals for the Northern Knights on the weekend in an impressive display.
Academy assistant coach Nick Dal Santo, who also headed to America for the prestigious squad's training camp in January, will coach 'Team Weitering' on Sunday.
Likely early picks Lochie O'Brien, Darcy Fogarty, Jarrod Brander and Hunter Clark will play under Dal Santo, as will Western Bulldogs father-son prospect Rhylee West.
West is the son of seven-time best and fairest winner Scott, but he is not eligible for the draft until next year.
TEAM WEITERING
1. Charlie Spargo
4. Izak Rankine
5. Lachlan Fogarty
6. Rhylee West
7. Jack Powell
8. Connor Rozee
9. Luke Valente
11. Lochie O'Brien
12. Buku Khamis
14. James Worpel
15. Jack Bytel
16. Hunter Clark
17. Dominic Grant
18. Luke Davies-Uniacke
19. Darcy Fogarty
20. Zane Barzen
21. Jarrod Brander
22. Oscar Clavarino
25. Kwaby Boakye
27. Max King
28. Ben King
29. Changkuoth Jiath
32. Connor Ballenden
33. Callum Coleman-Jones
34. Hudson Garoni
35. Sam Hayes
TEAM DANIHER
2. Cameron Rayner
3. Chayce Jones
4. Jack Higgins
5. Sam Walsh
6. Patrick Naish
8. Kane Farrell
9. Jake Patmore
10. Aidan Quigley
12. Jye Caldwell
13. Joel Garner
14. Jordan Houlahan
15. Jaidyn Stephenson
17. Tarryn Thomas
19. Jackson Hately
20. Andrew McPherson
21. Sam Taylor
23. Thomas Schmusch
24. Jack Lukosius
25. Noah Balta
30. Tom De Koning
31. Paddy Dow
