A PORTION of the 2026 Marsh AFL National Development Championships – U16 Girls fixture will remain floating for the first time in order to pair sides of similar strength.

The U16 nationals will see teams from South Australia, Western Australia, Vic Metro, Vic Country, Tasmania, Northern Territory and the academies of Gold Coast, Brisbane, Greater Western Sydney and Sydney play two games apiece in April.

The matches will be livestreamed on the AFL Play YouTube channel.

ALL THE TEAMS Read the full squads here

While the second matches for GWS, Northern Territory, Sydney and Tasmania are already fixtured, the remaining six teams will all descend on Shepley Oval, Dandenong Victoria, for a triple-header, with opponents to be determined.

Indi Slocombe, the sister of West Coast recruit Ella, will line up for Western Australia, as will Vienna Matera, a niece of the extensive Matera family that saw three of the brothers play for the Eagles.

West Australian Trista Smoker's father, Craig, played 17 games for Melbourne across 1998-99.

Arybella Nelson, who was named All-Australian at half-back as a bottom-ager last year, will return for Western Australia.

Sydney academy midfielder Emily Hollingsworth took out last year's MVP for pool B despite being a bottom-ager, while fellow U16 All-Australian runner Lily Moana will play for Gold Coast.

There are a few familiar surnames running round for Northern Territory, including Frances Bowden (daughter of Richmond favourite Joel) and Lailanie Rioli, a member of the famous footy family.

Claudia Keating, daughter of Brisbane premiership hero Clark, will play for Brisbane, while Olivia Goldstein, whose father Todd retired just last year after an extended career at North Melbourne and Essendon, will play for Vic Metro, as will Ruby Lockyer (daughter of Tarkyn).

Recently drafted Swan Alex Neyland's younger sister Quin will play for Sydney's academy.

Ex-West Coast player Kate Orme will coach Western Australia, with current Giant Alicia Eva taking on her club's under-16 side.

The Under-16 championships are seen as a stepping stone to the Under-18 championships, which have more games per team.

AFLW DRAFT Get to know the next wave of talent

AFLW recruiting teams are not as heavily resourced as their men's equivalent, but still see the under-16s as a handy primer to the talent coming through the pathways in a few years.

At the conclusion of the championships, each team will select their MVP, with an overall best and fairest and All-Australian team to be selected by a panel of AFL talent staff and AFLW club recruiters.

2026 Marsh AFL National Development Championships – U16 Girls

* = Fixturing TBC, teams involved are Gold Coast, Brisbane, Western Australia, South Australia, Vic Country and Vic Metro