THERE could be more than a dozen of this year's first-round draft picks playing in Saturday's Vic Metro and Vic Country clash in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.
AFL.com.au will broadcast the game live from Punt Road Oval from 11:55am AEST, with both teams coming into the clash unbeaten in the early part of the national carnival.
U18 Championships hub: every score, squad and fixture
Vic Metro has made several changes from its team that beat Western Australia last week at Domain Stadium, including bringing in Will Sutherland for his first game of the carnival.
Sutherland, who has been named at centre-half forward, is a talented cricketer and captain of the Australian under-19 team. He is yet to make a call on which sport he will pursue, but recruiters will be out in force to watch him play at state level for the first time.
Clock ticking for gun teen Sutherland
Possible No.1 pick Cameron Rayner, in-form midfielders Jack Higgins and Adam Cerra, ruckman Sam Hayes, half-forward Jaidyn Stephenson and Richmond father-son prospect Patrick Naish are among the other possible first-round picks lining up for Metro on Saturday.
Country has recalled talented midfielder Lochie O'Brien after he missed the opening round of the carnival with a knee injury, while Tom McCartin, the younger brother of St Kilda's Paddy, has been named at centre-half forward after impressing for the Geelong Falcons this season.
His Falcons teammate, Cassidy Parish, has also been added to the Country team. Parish is the younger brother of Essendon's Darcy.
Another No.1 contender, midfielder Luke Davies-Uniacke, will play for Vic Country. The game between the two division one title fancies starts at 12pm.
Sunday's clash will see the Allies take on Western Australia at Leederville Oval in Perth. In a notable inclusion, 20-year Adam Sambono, from the Northern Territory, will play his first game for the Allies for the carnival.
He was given special clearance to feature in the under-18 championships despite his age due to his brilliant efforts at NTFL and NEAFL level so far this year.
VIC METRO
Backs | 3 Ethan Penrith | 29 Harrison Nolan | 11 Ryley Stoddart |
H Backs | 8 Joel Garner | 33 Ben King | 25 Nicholas Coffield |
Centres | 23 Jaidyn Stephenson | 17 Adam Cerra | 5 Patrick Naish |
H Fwds | 24 Charlie Constable | 31 Will Sutherland | 19 Cameron Rayner |
Fwds | 2 Jack Higgins | 34 Max King | 1 Dylan Moore |
Followers | 37 Sam Hayes | 4 Lachlan Fogarty | 16 Thomas North |
Interchange | 6 Dylan Landt | 10 Max Dreher | 20 Jack Bytel |
| 22 Riley Jones | 32 Joel Grace | 13 Trent Mynott (Emerg) |
| 26 Mitch Podhajski (Emerg) |
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VIC COUNTRY
Backs | 5 Ben Paton | 36 Cody Henness | 37 Joshua Jaska |
H Backs | 21 Hunter Clark | 25 Oscar Clavarino | 19 Matthew Ling |
Centres | 2 Sam Walsh | 28 James Worpel © | 8 Lochie O’Brien |
H Fwds | 22 Jordon Butts | 35 Tom McCartin | 30 Jordan Johnston |
Fwds | 10 Brent Daniels | 29 Bailey Williams | 4 Gryan Miers |
Followers | 20 Tom DeKoning | 9 Luke Davies-Uniacke © | 14 Callan Wellings |
Interchange | 32 Cassidy Parish | 6 Aidan Quigley | 1 Kane Farrell |
| 16 David Handley | 15 Paddy Dow |
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Emergencies | 3 Jye Caldwell | 12. Ned McHenry |
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Backs | 24. Durak Tucker | 27. Sam Taylor | 26. Chris Scott |
H Backs | 17. Jaxon Cahill | 29. Aaron Naughton | 16. Jordan Boullineau |
Centres | 3. Tom Joyce | 22. Kyron Hayden | 4. Lachlan Mitchell |
H Fwds | 21. Matt Young | 25. Oscar Allen | 8. Sydney Stack |
Fwds | 20. Brandon Starcevich | 37. Oliver Eastland | 2. Ian Hill |
Followers | 28. Ben Miller | 11. Callum England | 9. Jake Patmore |
Interchange | 19. Christian Ameduri | 35. Louis Miller | 15. Brayden Ainsworth |
| 14. Joseph Ugle | 10. Connor West | 32. Aaron Redhead |
| 23. Damon Cramer |
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Ins: 37 Oliver Eastland, 32 Aaron Redhead, 14 Joseph Ugle, 23 Damon Cramer
Outs: 13 Gordon Narrier, 18 Zareth Roe, 31 Jonathon Frampton (All Rotated), 6. Jarrod Cameron (State 17’s)
ALLIES
Backs | 18. Jake Hinds | 38. Connor Ballenden | 3.Brodie Foster |
H Backs | 14. Jack Clayton | 28. Harrison Carr | 19. Doulton Langlands |
Centres | 27. Matthew Green | 26. Nicholas Shipley | 7. Sam Davidson |
H Fwds | 13. Bailey Scott | 33. Jarrod Brander | 16. Thomas Mundy |
Fwds | 12. Adam Sambono | 35. Hugh Dixon | 8. Luke Skrivanic |
Followers | 39. Brayden Crossley | 6. Jack Powell | 5. Zac Bailey |
Interchange | 10. James Bell | 25. Harry Simington | 9. Jarrod Osborne |
| 4. Laine Fitzgerald | 15. Connor Nutting | 32. Zac Buechner |
| 11. Brendan Myers |
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