2024 Marsh AFL National Academy Boys member Levi Ashcroft in the Australia U18 jumper. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos

The 2024 Marsh AFL National Academy Boys squad will don the Australia jumper for the first time this year when they take on VFL outfit Coburg at IKON Park this Saturday, April 13.

The Marsh AFL National Academy is an accelerated football and personal development program that provides the next generation of stars with experiences, learnings and further opportunities to best prepare them for the next steps in their football journey.

The 2024 Marsh AFL National Academy Boys squad comprises many of the nation’s most promising footballers born in 2006 who will be eligible to be selected in the 2024 AFL Draft.

Saturday’s game at IKON Park will be the first of two matches the 2024 Marsh AFL National Academy squad will play as the Australia U18 team this month. They will also take on VFL team Footscray in Melbourne on the weekend of April 27-28.

Due to several injuries within the Marsh AFL National Academy Boys squad, four additional players have been invited to take part in this week’s camp.

Taj Hotton (Sandringham Dragons), Jayden Nguyen (Calder Cannons), Tobie Travaglia (Bendigo Pioneers) and Jack Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers) have been included and will feature in the Australia U18 team that takes on Coburg at IKON Park.

Existing squad members Bo Allan, Malakai Champion, Sid Draper, Archer Day-Wicks, Jonty Faull, Sam Lalor, Xavier Lindsay, Finn O’Sullivan won’t play in Saturday’s match due to injury but will still travel to Melbourne to take part in the camp.

The Marsh AFL National Academy Boys squad will arrive in Melbourne on Thursday for their second high-performance camp of the 2024 program. It follows an induction camp that was held in Victoria last December.

The squad will feature in a range of wellbeing, education and team bonding sessions throughout the three-day camp and will also train at Sandringham’s Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning in preparation for Saturday’s match.

Marsh AFL National Academy Manager, Tarkyn Lockyer, said: “We are looking forward to having the Marsh AFL National Academy Boys squad together again this weekend and providing the players with new learnings and experiences to further enhance their development on and off the field,” Lockyer said.

“Having the opportunity to wear the Australia jumper in a match is one of the great highlights of the Marsh AFNL National Academy program and we look forward to this year’s squad having that chance this Saturday when they take on Coburg.”

Saturday’s match between Australia U18 and Coburg will commence at 1:00pm, with entry free for all spectators.

AUSTRALIA U18 vs COBURG
Saturday, April 13, 2024
1:00pm AEST
IKON Park
Free entry

HOW TO WATCH: Saturday’s match between Australia U18 and Coburg will be available to watch live and free on the AFL website.

Continue below to view the Australia U18 squad for Saturday’s match at IKON Park.
*Denotes injured and won’t play

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FIRST NAME

SURNAME

HT

STATE LEAGUE CLUB

COMMUNITY CLUB

1*

Sid

Draper

182

South Adelaide

Willunga

2

Levi

Ashcroft

179

Sandringham Dragons

Old Brighton
Grammarians

3

Ben

Camporeale

186

Glenelg

Brighton Districts
& Old Scholars

4

Lucas

Camporeale

185

Glenelg

Brighton Districts
& Old Scholars

5*

Malakai

Champion

172

Subiaco

Mines Rovers

6*

Archer

Day-Wicks

186

Bendigo Pioneers

Sandhurst

7*

Xavier

Lindsay

183

Gippsland Power

Leongatha

8

Leonardo

Lombard

178

Gold Coast Suns Academy

Broadbeach

9

Sam

Marshall

185

Brisbane Lions Academy
Sandringham Dragons

Old Melburnians

10

Ricky

Mentha

178

Northern Territory Academy
Gippsland Power

Morwell

11

Christian

Moraes

183

Eastern Ranges

Knox

12

Jagga

Smith

181

Oakleigh Chargers

Richmond

14

Jayden

Nguyen

177

Calder Cannons

Aberfeldie

20*

Bo

Allan

191

Peel Thunder

Halls Head

21

Joel

Cochran

195

Sydney Swans Academy

UNSW Eastern
Suburbs Bulldogs

22*

Jonty

Faull

195

GWV Rebels

Redan

23

Tom

Gross

181

Oakleigh Chargers

Old Trinity
Grammarians

24

Harvey

Langford

190

Dandenong Stingrays

Mount Martha

25

Noah

Mraz

198

Dandenong Stingrays

Narre North Foxes

26

Harry

O'Farrell

196

Calder Cannons

Maribyrnong Park

27*

Finn

O'Sullivan

182

Oakleigh Chargers

Koroit

28

Jobe

Shanahan

194

Bendigo Pioneers

Moama

29

Josh

Smillie

194

Eastern Ranges

Park Orchards

30

Luke

Trainor

194

Sandringham Dragons

Old Brighton
Grammarians

31

Taj

Hotton

182

Sandringham Dragons

Hampton Rovers

32

Tobie

Travaglia

187

Bendigo Pioneers

Sandhurst

33

Oliver

Dean

201

Tasmania Devils

North Launceston

34*

Sam

Lalor

180

GWV Rebels

Bacchus Marsh

39

Jack

Whitlock

200

Murray Bushrangers

Shepparton

40

Tyler

Welsh

191

Adelaide

Henley